Goliath’s world is my culture of origin.
It’s where I was born. It’s the family I grew up in. It’s the schools where I was socialized.
And though I have aspired for decades to love and equip others like Jesus, all too often, my leadership style has reflected Goliath’s rather than the Master’s.
So, what have I learned about escaping this matrix of lies that might help other disciples? Let me begin by decoding Goliath’s cornerstone value.
The Old Testament describes Goliath as a “champion” (1 Sam 17). He had been a warrior since his youth and possessed an unblemished record of success. We also know that his natural strength and size were head and shoulders above his fellow soldiers (v. 4-7;11), and they viewed him as their hero (v. 51). This combination of realities resulted in a person with total confidence in his proven abilities as he publicly taunted his enemy: “This day I defy the armies of Israel!” (v.10). In other words, Goliath was supremely prideful about the breadth of his competence.
My friend Jack Wisdom has written a compelling book on the subject of pride entitled Get Low (2013). In his first chapter, Jack establishes this value as the capstone sin of all others and quotes C. S. Lewis in the process: “Pride leads to every other vice. It is the complete anti-God state of mind” (Lewis, Mere Christianity, 121). Jack’s thesis foreshadows Goliath’s destiny: The “bogus” kingdom of the world is founded upon pride and destined for destruction.
Now look at the one and only Jesus!
This divine King became a human being (Jn 1:14) and perfectly models the enduring Kingdom of God. He humbly submits Himself to the Father’s will (1 Pt 1:20) and serves us on a cross (Phil 2:5ff). As the polar opposite to Goliath, Jesus is consistently humble in spite of being the most competent human to have ever lived.
But there is another, important facet of Goliath’s pride to highlight. This giant of a man was convinced that he could see and understand all the variables that he needed to in order to be successful. “Goliath looked David over. He saw how young he was. He also saw how healthy and handsome he was. And he hated him. He said to David, “Why are you coming at me with sticks? Do you think I’m only a dog?” (v. 42,43). Clearly, Goliath was dead wrong about Who he was really up against: He was also prideful about the depth of his insights.
Once again, Jesus’ attitude and behavior draws a sharp contrast with Goliath. “So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me”” (Jn 8:28). This truth is a real stunner–Jesus’ insights and perceptions were sourced in His Father’s teaching. Amazing! Jesus’ humility gave Him access to a comprehensive and real-time understanding of both His temporal world and eternal Kingdom.
Having now arrived to the last third of my life, this Kingdom mantra now serves as one of my defining truths: Taking credit for my skills and insights is deadly, but humbly giving Him credit brings life!
Choosing Life again today,
