“David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.'” — 1 Samuel 17:45
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One of the most anticipated events worldwide is about to get started — the Paris Olympics. Families and friends around the globe will be gathering over the next couple of weeks, with TVs probably blaring more than usual, to watch the world’s best athletes compete in what they’ve been training for day and night. The culmination — and ultimate goal — of the competition is to see the best of the best finish on the podium, with a gold medal placed around the neck of the champion athlete or team that surpassed all rivals.
But champions aren’t limited to gold-medal Olympians.
I remember being 8 years old and hearing the story of David and Goliath in my Sunday school class. My eyes stared up as Mr. Karczweski shared this amazing Bible story. He explained how David ran into the battle and used his slingshot to hurl that fatal stone into the giant’s head. He told us how David went up to Goliath and grabbed his own sword to cut off his head. Wow! I remember thinking how incredible this Bible story is! Still as a 48-year-old adult, it’s one of my favorites. God chose David to be His champion to defeat the giant. Like David, I believe God calls us to be great and a champion for Him.
Let’s examine four key principles to being a champion for Christ:
1) Humility — David was a shepherd boy, a lowly occupation, but exactly where God strategically placed him. Without question, the occupation of being a shepherd is a humbling experience. There’s not much glory in tending sheep. And there’s nothing more nauseating than a prideful, arrogant, conceited champion. Learn to deflect the praise. The middle letter of the word “pride” is “I” and God hates a prideful heart. Remember: Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but it is thinking of yourself less. God, forgive us when we fail to remain humble.
2) Preparation — I love with this quote from the late Coach John Wooden: “When opportunity comes, it’s too late to prepare.” There’s no doubt God was preparing David to face Goliath when the boy killed a bear and lion with his own hands. So when the giant opportunity was presented, he was willing and available to fight Goliath. He was prepared and he knew it. Let’s remind ourselves that we can’t necessarily control the opportunities, but we can control and understand our preparation.
3) Authenticity — As Saul agreed to send David into battle, he gave him his own armor and equipment. In 1 Samuel 17:39b, David shared, “‘I cannot go in these,’ he said to Saul, ‘because I am not used to them.’ So he took them off.” What a lesson of being true to who you are. David was being real with himself. He knew how he was created, designed and wired. He was comfortable with the skills God gave him. He was authentic.
4) Confidence — David’s confidence was not in his own strength or ability, but rather in God Almighty. David knew where His confidence came from. First Samuel 17:45 says, “David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.'” Webster’s dictionary defines “confidence” as firm trust, or the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something. As followers of Christ, we can have that same confidence of David trusting and relying on our Heavenly Father.
Humility. Preparation. Authenticity. Confidence. Core attributes in becoming a champion for Christ.
— Jim Good
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