There are seasons in which our path is unclear. And there are seasons in which the threat before us is obvious. We’re no longer questioning the way, but now if we have the courage to move and face this dragon before us.
David, the future king of Israel, was first a shepherd. And whenever a lion or a bear came to steal a lamb he would go after it with a club to rescue the lamb – killing any animal that threaten his flock. After he was anointed king, he went after the Philistine giant Goliath in this same spirit. Once the threat was clear, he went after it – killing it and cutting off his head. He would not let this pagan Philistine defy the armies of the living God – never losing sight of his calling despite the accusations of his brothers.
The same Spirit that came powerfully upon David dwells in us today. How will we respond when evil threatens the people God has entrusted to us? Will we go after it in the strength God has given us?
This doesn’t require epic feats, but it’s nonetheless heroic. To be sure, David’s first battle was not with Goliath. It was privately in the fields with his sheep. But it was these unseen battles that prepared him for the visible battle with Goliath.
In the same way, our first battles might simply be a hard conversation with our wife, setting boundaries with toxic family members or friends, overcoming an addiction, or finally taking a step toward the work we’ve been putting off for years. Whatever it looks like, it’s meaningful to us, but it might not have a lot of fanfare otherwise.
We’re willing to show up and do whatever is needed to protect the life and goodness given to us. We’re not fighting for ourselves. And we’re not letting the accusations of others take us out. We remain clear-eyed on what needs to be done and fight because what we love is in danger.
Once your dragon is clear. It’s time to go after it.
