The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
I lost my magnificent steel boulder in the second grade. Every day at lunch, every boy in our little grade school in Grand View, Idaho, would grab his bag of marbles and run to the playground. Circles would be drawn in the dirt and everyone would scatter their marbles inside the circle. Then we would try to knock another boy’s marble out of the circle and claim it as our own.
Another game resembled every carnival game ever invented. A boy would create a ditch and then line up four or five marbles in front of the ditch. He would then draw another line about two feet away. Finally, like a carnival barker, he would invite other boys to step up and try to knock his marbles into the ditch. If the boy missed and his marble fell into the ditch then the ‘ditch master’ acquired another marble for his own.
Somehow, I had acquired this huge steel boulder—a ‘steely’ it was called. It was so massive, I didn’t think Thor could knock it into the ditch. I didn’t count on Ricky Pollard though. And he was eyeing my magnificent ‘steely.’ He kneeled down and began pecking away at my boulder. He never missed—how could he since it was a huge round specimen of steel? Strike by strike, Ricky kept inching my prize boulder towards the ditch.
Sweat formed on my brow. Please, someone, ring the recess bell so we would have to stop and go inside. Please, Lorraine, walk by and catch Ricky’s attention. Lorraine was the third grader who Ricky had fallen madly in love with. If anyone could tear Ricky away from his marbles, it was Lorraine.
No such luck. Ricky launched one last thunderous strike, and my beautiful steely toppled backwards into the ditch. Ricky shouted with glee, and I uttered a curse: May Ricky be thrown from the merry-go-round of life and perpetually hit his head on the monkey bars of bad luck.
Even as kids, we grab on to things we think will give us strength. It doesn’t have to be a steely. It can be an object, a person, a skill, a desire—the choices are endless because we move from one to the next and the next.
None of the things we latch onto ever provide the secure strength we desire. In school, I looked to my ability to make A’s. That didn’t stop the school bully. It wasn’t like if I made a hundred A’s, the school bully would mutter, “Aw man, why did you have to hit a hundred?”
Sports provided my next attempt at acquiring strength. In the class room, the role of class clown became mine. So I broke my ankle at basketball practice, and I was paddled a lot in the hallways. Two strike outs.
We should be mindful of David when he confronts Goliath. If you had been an Israelite watching David prepare to do battle against Goliath, you may have been tempted to start a gambling pool: “Step right up and put $5 on David only lasting five seconds.”
Goliath would have put his entire life savings on David only lasting a millisecond. In 1 Samuel 17, Goliath sees David and says, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” Not sure what he means by that, but it’s certain he has no respect for teenager David.
In 1 Samuel 17:45, David answers: “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”
The confrontation doesn’t end well for Goliath. David’s faith in God provided unshakable strength for him. In Psalm 27:7, David declares, “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me.”
Serious issues come into your life and you’re inclined to turn towards things like money, power, fame, or people. You’re hoping you will find strength from those worldly things. You may as well put your faith in a steely.
Instead, be like David. Let your Lord be your strength and shield.
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Dan Ashton has served many churches in western Illinois as a lay speaker. He enjoys helping people grow strong, loving relationships in the light of God's Word. Reach Dan at: ashtond101536@gmail.com or www.the-yoke-is-easy.com.
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