But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.”
— First Samuel 17:34-36
How should we be trained? Begin by being faithful to the seemingly little thing that is now in your hand, whatever it may be. The flock David’s father gave him to watch over was small (1 Sam. 17:28), yet David was faithful to his charge. We like prestigious assignments, but if we cannot give ourselves to what is already in our hands, we are not going to be able to carry anything greater.
David was charged to watch those few sheep; his life was linked to theirs as long as he was their shepherd. That is why he was strong to defend them. If he had despised his assignment or had been careless in carrying it out, he would not have been bold to engage Goliath or the other enemies that threatened God’s flock. A person with an indifferent attitude cannot carry God’s commitment.
Adapted from David: After God’s Heart, page 46.
Tomorrow: “Are We Willing to be Trained? (2)”