The Importance of Right Motives

20) So David rose early in the morning, left the sheep with a keeper, and took the things and went as Jesse had commanded him. And he came to the camp as the army was going out to the fight and shouting for the battle. 21 )For Israel and the Philistines had drawn up in battle array, army against army. 22) And David left his supplies in the hand of the supply keeper, ran to the army, and came and greeted his brothers. 23) Then as he talked with them, there was the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, coming up from the armies of the Philistines; and he spoke according to the same words. So David heard them. 24) And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him and were dreadfully afraid. 25) So the men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel; and it shall be that the man who kills him the king will enrich with great riches, will give him his daughter, and give his father’s house exemption from taxes in Israel.”


26) Then David spoke to the men who stood by him, saying, “What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?”  27) And the people answered him in this manner, saying, “So shall it be done for the man who kills him.” 28) 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.”  29) And David said, “What have I done now? Is there not a cause?” 30) Then he turned from him toward another and said the same thing; and these people answered him as the first ones did. 31) Now when the words which David spoke were heard, they reported them to Saul; and he sent for him. 32) Then David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”  33) And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.”

34) 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, 35) 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. 36) 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.” 37) Moreover David said, “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.”  And Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you!”  38) So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. 39) David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So David took them off.  40) Then he took his staff in his hand; and he chose for himself five smooth stones from the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag, in a pouch which he had, and his sling was in his hand. And he drew near to the Philistine.  1Sam. 17:20-40 (NKJV)


David found King Saul’s hefty reward for Goliath’s defeat interesting—in fact, he asked to have it repeated twice (vv. 26, 30). Money, freedom, and a pretty girl would make almost any teenage boy take notice! However, though David was young, he was not foolhardy. The reward was a nice perk, but it wasn’t the young shepherd’s motivation.

David’s reason for standing against Goliath was to serve the Lord. The boy openly expressed his disdain for the giant: “For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God?” (1 Sam. 17:26). Challenging the chosen nation, Israel, was the same as defying the Lord Himself. David was prepared to defend Yahweh’s holy name and His people, even against this fearsome warrior. A right and holy motive gives a person confidence to obey God, even if doing so defies human wisdom.

It is possible for believers to seek victory over life’s Goliaths with wrong motives. A lot of reasons that sound good are actually selfish. I’m tired of being in this mess. Or Lord, I can’t run away, so You’ll have to remove this problem. Some people try to bargain their way out of tight spots: If I had more money, then I’d give more to the church. Those promises are rarely fulfilled.  The right motive for facing a problem is a desire to follow, serve, and honor God, no matter what. Life’s Goliaths do not just tax our comfort or wellbeing; these challenges can impede our obedient walk with the Lord. He will give victory to those who stand strong in His name.
 
BE A BLESSING TO ONE ANOTHER!!
 
DAWN