Articles
The Lion and the Bear
David was the youngest of eight brothers. His three oldest brothers were in Saul’s army. David was visiting them when he heard Goliath, the Philistine giant, defy Israel to send a man against him in a winner-take-all fight.
Young David was outraged that no man in Israel had enough faith or courage to meet the challenge. He volunteered. When Saul questioned his qualifications, David related how he had, in defense of his father’s sheep, killed a lion and bear. “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37).
You know the outcome: David handily defeated Goliath. He had learned well the three lessons of the lion and the bear. Have we?
God Gives the Victory
David may well have been an expert marksman with his sling, but that was not his key to victory. Actually, he said he seized the lion and the bear by the beard and killed them. You won’t find me attempting that! David would not have, either, except for his confidence in God. Friend, that same divine power is available to us in our spiritual battles. “Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57). You can do the right thing. You can resist temptation. You can stand up to opposition. You can bear up under your load. God is infinitely more powerful than your lion or bear.
We Must Fight
God did not independently cause the death of the lion or the bear. David fought them as God empowered him. Likewise, while God promises to strengthen us, we must cooperate with Him. He provides a powerful weapon, “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17); we must wield it. He makes a way of escape from temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13); we must take it. He extends “precious and magnificent promises” to reassure and motivate (2 Peter 1:4); we must trust them and live according to their conditions.
Victory Brings Confidence
David’s victories over the lion and the bear made Goliath look a lot less daunting. That’s what success does for us. “. . . we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:3-5).
Don’t be intimidated by life’s lions and bears. Look at them as opportunities for God to empower and for you to act; as opportunities for blessing and strengthening.
