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When Your Identity is Challenged



Standing several feet taller than the average man, Goliath was no ordinary foe. He taunted the army of Israel for days before a young shepherd boy decided to face him without any armor.

While listening to this story with my kids this morning, one particular part of the story jumped at me.

"Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, 'Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul?' " (1 Samuel 17:8a)(emphasis mine)

He called them "servants of Saul."
He didn't call them the army of Israel, God's chosen people, nor the army of God. Nothing close to what their true identity was.
Now Saul (the king at the time) did not appear to be a very brave man from what I understand about him. He didn't volunteer to fight Goliath. He didn't even volunteer to go speak to him. He was only offering a reward (a very large one at that) to the person brave enough to stand up against Goliath.
So to be called a servant of Saul would not inspire much courage  nor bravery, in my opinion. Why would anyone be valiant enough to stand up against Goliath for the sake of Saul?

In steps David, who by all accounts, was not physically tall nor big. Not only that, but he was also young--young enough that he wasn't even a solider at this time.
David enters the scene as a younger brother running an errand from his father to his older brothers who are soldiers in the battle.
When he arrives and finds out the situation, he responds with something that also very much caught my attention:

"'Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?'" (1 Samuel 17:26b)(emphasis mine)

David knew his identity. David knew THEIR identity.
He called them out and said I'm going in! He wasn't representing Saul, nor was he counting on anyone else to back him up. He knew that God had defended him against lions and bears so why not against this giant troublemaker?
Saul tried to give him armor to wear, but it was too cumbersome for him so he refused to wear it. He marched out to face Goliath (who cursed him) and informed him that he was messing with army of God, not Saul!
(Spoiler alert: David wins!)
After Goliath is killed, the entire Philistine army flees. Their only hope was in Goliath and without  him, their identity as an entire army is lost.

Identity and who you represent is a powerful thing.
How many times have you been tempted, taunted, teased and tossed aside because your enemy made you forget your identity? Or even labeled you with a completely different identity?
When we don't know Who we really are and represent, it is so easy for fear to speak quiet lies into our souls.
I'm not good enough.
I don't know enough.
I'm not _____ enough.

Don't let a Goliath make you forget who you really are and Who you really represent.
You are a child of the most high God, dearly loved and sustained by His grace.

Here are some of my favorite Psalms when I need some encouragement:
Psalm 15
Psalm 23
Psalm 25
Psalm 37
Psalm 91
Psalm 125
Psalm 139

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