Something funny jumped out at me as I reread the story of David & Goliath in 1 Samuel 17 this week. You’ve heard the story: it ends with a bigger upset than when the Jets trounced the Colts in Super Bowl III.

Not only did David single-handedly defeat his foe armed with only a slingshot, but Goliath wielded a sword and spear AND had a shield-bearer guarding him from the front (v. 41)! That tickled my funny bone – the thought of someone trying to shield a nearly 10’ tall giant (v. 4). That’s like a Pee Wee league player trying to block Terrell Brown. Suffice it to say, the guy failed miserably at his job (spoiler alert: Goliath took a stone between the eyes and died).

So, what were the rest of David’s teammates doing while the redshirt freshman challenged the first-round draft pick to a face-off? Verse 24 tells us that they were hiding behind the water cooler, cowering in fear. It’s not until v. 52, after David cuts off the dead giant’s head, then the Israelites charge out from their hiding places to chase down the fleeing Philistines.

I think we can learn a lot from the players in this story. There were the Philistine armchair quarterbacks, who really had little to offer the battle itself, but they rallied behind their champion … until he died, and then they ran for their lives. They faced fear with a cocky, can’t-touch-this attitude. There were the Israelite water boys, who wanted to suit up for the game but were too timid to go out on the field. They faced fear with a spineless, don’t-pick-me mindset. Then, there was David and Goliath. David was bold, albeit ill-equipped (v. 38-39) for the task, and he faced fear head-on. Goliath was conceited (v. 8-10, 16, 42-44) and had probably never lost a fight in his life, so he had no fear and no Plan B strategy.

Chances are, we all fall somewhere between each of these extremes. The point is that we gain nothing by hiding behind fear. Suit up and stay alert, so that when God calls you, you’ll be ready to get in the game.

Before you knew Christ, what are some ways that you acted in “ignorance & unbelief” like Paul in 1 Timothy? Have you tried making amends?

Read James 4:17, then ask yourself: If I ignore oppression & decide it’s someone else’s problem, what does that say about my faith-walk?

If God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7), then why are we so fixated on outward appearances? Ask God to help you see with his eyes today.

Ask God to examine your heart & bring to your mind a time when you were the persecutor. Seek forgiveness & commit to no repeat performances.

Think about a time when you felt persecuted or treated with prejudice. Have you let God grow your own character through that experience?

Ask God for wisdom so that when you witness someone being mistreated in some way, you have courage to stand up for them.

How many of your friends look/talk/live like you? Pray about why that might be the case. Are you willing to step out of your comfort zone?

It can be difficult for us to imagine the historical rationale for decisions like the 3/5^ths rule that counted slaves as partial persons, or the times when only property owners could vote (in other words: wealthy, white males). It sounds unconscionable from a modern vantage point. The Bible is full of stories about the Jews’ multi-century enslavement, so it is ironic to me that some people in U.S. history who professed to have Judeo-Christian values were also slave owners. Thankfully, what had been a relatively common practice slowly and painstakingly made an about-face, until it was finally outlawed.

Unfortunately, changing a law does not mean changing hearts. We see it every day from our local schools to faraway places in the world: people disagree, argue and even kill each other over racial, cultural and religious differences. In some regions of the world, Christians and other underrepresented religious groups are regularly under fire (sometimes, literally) for no other apparent reason than their faith.

These cases beg the question: What should be our attitude when we are mistreated? Matthew 5:10 (NIV) tells us: “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The Contemporary English Version (CEV) version puts the verse this way: “God blesses those people who are treated badly for doing right. They belong to the kingdom of heaven.”

I dare say that sometimes, however, we are not on the side of the persecuted. Sometimes, we are the oppressors. The good news is that God’s grace still covers us. Consider Paul’s words: “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 1:12-14, NIV).

Pray for the persecuted, and don’t be afraid to stand up for what is right.

Isaiah 59:7 talks about the tendency to rush into sin. What is it about doing the right thing that is so difficult to stick with it?