Why Are You So Confident?

This week I read David the account of David and Goliath in the Bible. After I read this portion:

And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock: And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him. Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.

David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee. (from I Samuel 17)

… I asked David why David was so sure that he would kill Goliath, and David’s response surprised me. He said, “Because he killed a lion and a bear.” That’s reasonable, really, and I shouldn’t have been surprised. It is human nature to make assessments such as these based on physical might or past accomplishments.

No, read what David said: “The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.”

It wasn’t David’s faith in himself; it was his confidence in God.

I was a good mom and explained to my son about confidence in self, but I had to stop. Fact is, it was a convicting conversation for me, too. Where is my source of strength? Past successes? My own ability or intellect (for better or worse)? I must remember where my strength comes from. I’m going to have another talk with my children today about that very truth.

How is God’s Word changing you?