In reading the Bible through the years to my four children, David and Goliath is always one of their favorite parts. The picture of the young David picking up a stone and using a sling to kill the big mean giant is fascinating. How much courage did David have? Well, we know that courage came from his zeal or passion for the Holiness of God. The same can be said for the Project 12:8 leaders we serve in the emerging world. These leaders are passionate about the cause of Christ and will not allow fear to stop their calling.
Recently in reading 1st and 2nd Samuel, I made a connection much deeper to leadership in David’s actions with Goliath. The act of leadership in fighting Goliath was not forgotten in Israel. You see years later there were other challenges to their vision and more GIANTS stepped in the way of fulfilling this vision! 2 Samuel 21:16 ESV “And Ishbi-benob, one of the descendants of the giants, whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of bronze, and who was armed with a new sword, thought to kill David.”
The problem for David was that he was passed his prime years of killing giants, but his legacy of courage continued on. We know from 2 Samuel that other leaders stepped up like Abishai the son of Zeruiah, Sibbecai the Hushathite, Elhanan the son of Jaare-oregim, and even David’s brother Jonathan killed a giant with 12 finger and toes.
David’s legacy was of a zeal that led to courage for His Lord. Years after this act of courage, others followed David’s lead to serve God in defeating the Giants. These actions took courage, but the main fear was gone. David had set the example.
So where are you in this story? Are you the leader God is calling to step out and fight the Giants (i.e. has God given you a mission?). You only have a round stone, but God is still calling because not only are you going to exhibit courage that brings Him glory, but you will also leave a legacy that others will follow and they will kill the Giants in their path. This action is why leadership in Project 12:8 is so important. The more leaders with zeal that are developed and become Giant killers, the more barriers will be broken and the name of Jesus will be told to those who have never heard.
