Saul’s Armor

READ : 1 Samuel 17:19-39

Then Saul . . . put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. (v. 38 NIV)

Before David went out to face Goliath, King Saul dressed David in his own armor. Good idea! A helmet is better than no helmet, right? But David turns down the king’s offer.

As a child I was told David didn’t wear Saul’s armor because it was too big for him. But that’s not exactly what happens. David realizes that even if Saul’s armor fit him perfectly, it wasn’t appropriate for his use. That suit wasn’t really “him.” So David laid it aside. The rest of the story, as they say, is history. Using just a sling and a stone—weapons he is used to, that fit him—David triumphs over the giant Goliath, whose coat of armor alone weighed 125 pounds! Thus God grants Israel a great victory.

This is encouraging. All of us sometimes feel like we don’t measure up to others. We may think, “God can’t use me like Bill—he really knows his Bible.” Or “I wish I were outgoing like Cheryl; she shares God’s love with everyone. I’m too shy.” Sometimes we feel the weight of others’ expectations. But God makes each of us different. By knowing and accepting who God created us to be, we can shed expectations the way David ditched Saul’s armor. And like David, God can use us in mighty ways.

PRAYER

Lord, help us to be who you created us to be. We give all glory to you.