Anytime Isaiah or Elijah come to the office, they always ask if they can grab the 5 smooth stones that sit on my desk. I got them from the Elah Brook in the Elah Valley, where the Israelite armies were lined up against the Philistine armies. "Elah" can mean strong as an oak, but it can also mean something to be feared like a curse.
In the story I find it amazing that there was one man - a giant - who struck fear into an entire nation. And there was one young man, who in spite of the fear, decided to do something about it. David was not fearless, but he was courageous in spite of the fear. It's not about being fearless, because to go through life & to go into battle with no fear is actually very stupid. But unlike the entire Israelite army, David realized that the key is not in waiting for the fear to subside, it is in having courage in spite of the fear and choosing to act upon that courage.
I think it's cool that David chose five stones to battle against the giant, but God only needed one of those stones to defeat his enemy! I think David was wise in preparing for the worst, and God was gracious in making quick work of the giant.
Another thing to note is that David's courage was contagious. Saul was a horrible leader whose fear spread like a virus throughout the Israelite camp. He did nothing about the enemy and as a result, the entire nation lived in fear. David's single act of courage ignited the courage of the Israelite army who soon ran out to crush their enemy.
As I see my boys running to grab those 5 smooth stones, I pray that they will always be the ones who step up in spite of fear and I pray that their courage will spread like wildfire to all who see God at work in their lives.
Are there people in your life who are paralyzed by the fear of giants in the land? Maybe God is calling you to take grab 5 stones and stand up to the giant on their behalf.
Courage is contagious. When you step up with courage in spite of fear, you empower others to do something they wouldn't normally do.
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