David was the youngest of Jesse’s sons and he did not have a glamourous job. In Lesotho today shepherding is done by the poorest boys in the country. But God seems to have a soft spot for shepherds. Angels announced the birth of Jesus to shepherds (Luke 2:8-20).
David made the best of the situation he found himself in. On more than one occasion he risked his life to protect his father’s sheep. Killing a lion and a bear was no mean feat (1 Samuel 17:34).
Do you see someone who does good work? That person will serve kings (Proverbs 22:29).
The Israeli minister of defence, Moshe Dayan, was of the opinion that “David fought Goliath not with inferior but (on the contrary) with superior weaponry; and his greatness consisted … in his knowing how to exploit a weapon by which a feeble person could seize the advantage and become stronger.”
Nevertheless, there must have been others in Israel who could use a sling. And slings were used in war before the days of David.
Among all these men there were 700 who were left-handed. Each of them could sling a stone at a hair and not miss. (Judges 20:16)
But David was agitated that “this uncircumcised Philistine” was allowed to bring dishonour on “the armies of the living God”. He was convinced that God would help him if he risked his life for the sake of God’s honour (1 Samuel 17:36). No wonder that the Lord said of David that he was “a man after his own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14).
He chose his servant David. He took him from the sheep pens. … He made him the shepherd of Israel, his special people (Psalm 78:70-71).
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