1 Samuel 18:12-16 (ESV)
Saul was afraid of David because the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul. So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people. And David had success in all his undertakings, for the LORD was with him. And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.
It is not the size of the undertaking that matters, but the character of those you take in your undertaking.
That seems to be the truth that God gives us in the above story. David was but a shepherd boy, with a sling and a stone. But, he became the greatest warrior in Israel’s history. He could have claimed a lot of successes for himself, and even did in chapter 17. When confronted by his oldest brother when he wanted to fight Goliath, David gave a history of his success with bears and lions. Yet, even there, David claimed God’s power over his success:
1 Samuel 17:34-37 (ESV)
But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God.” And David said, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you!”
We might have a very small undertaking by man’s standards, or we might have a very large undertaking in the sight of the world. But, it is not the size of the understating. It is the size of the God you take in that mission.
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