Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab’s anger was aroused against David, and he said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” And David said, “What have I done now? Is there not a cause?” (1 Samuel 17:28-29)

Facing Criticism

Skeptics are never satisfied. When Robert Fulton first showed off his new invention, the steamboat, skeptics crowded the riverbank, yelling, “It will never start.” It did. It got going with a lot of cranking and groaning, and as it made its way down the river, the skeptics were quiet for a moment. Then they started shouting, “I will never stop; it will never stop.” If Fulton had listened to his critics, he would have never changed the course of travel and industry.

One of the great stories of the Old Testament is how David defeated Goliath. As a shepherd, David was unaccustomed to the battlefield and had no formal training in combat. He was a shepherd, a tender of sheep. Being a shepherd was not a passive job and came with many dangers. When David went to the battlefield to find his brothers and bring them provisions, the young shepherd saw and heard Goliath bellowing his challenges to the army of Israel.

Goliath was a giant of a man. He stood over nine feet tall and wore a bronze coat of mail weighing one hundred twenty-five pounds. The iron spearhead at the end of his spear weighed fifteen pounds. He was the champion of the Philistine army while not himself a Philistine. When David saw Goliath, the giant had presented himself for forty days with no one from the army of God ready to fight him. David took issue with Goliath’s conduct and asked those in the army who would kill the challenger. Elias, David’s oldest brother, was angry at David, accusing the shepherd boy of pride and insolence.

When Saul, king of Israel, heard of David, he sent for him. Saul was also surprised at David’s insistence to have Goliath killed. The king reminded David he was no match for the might of Goliath. David was a young man, and Goliath was a seasoned man of war. David told Saul that he may have been a shepherd, but he had protected the flock from predators in these duties. On one occasion, a bear took a sheep out of the flock, and David went out after it and struck it, saving the sheep. When the bear rose against David, the shepherd boy took the bear by the beard and killed it. Shortly afterward, David went out and killed Goliath.

Skeptics and critics can keep us from being the people we need to be in Christ. If David had listened to his critics, he would never have gone into the valley of Elah. When we have God on our side, we have a majority of One. God can do all things through our lives when we open our hearts to His will. We can make Satan flee. Temptation can be overcome. Prayers can embolden our lives to greater service. Nothing is impossible with God. Do not let the world hinder your growth in Christ. Be a David and have courage to stand for truth.