The Boy, the Giant and the Ordinary Armor

“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear—not absence of fear.”
Mark Twain

“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”
Muhammad Ali

“It is not the strength of the body that counts, but the strength of the spirit.”
J. R. R. Tolkien

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”
Dale Carnegie

“Courage is the most important of all the virtues, because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”
Maya Angelou

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.”
Eleanor Roosevelt

There he was, a ruddy young shepherd standing before King Saul, about to face his greatest challenge. As the Philistine giant Goliath mocked and taunted the armies of Israel, brave David volunteered to fight him. But there was a problem because David’s simple shepherd garments were no match for the bronze armor of the imposing warrior strutting before him. King Saul, amazed by the boy’s courage yet concerned for his safety, outfitted David with his own battle tunic, bronze helmet, and coat of mail. However, as the story goes in 1 Samuel 17:38-40 (ESV), “Then David said to Saul, ‘I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them.’ So David put them off.”

Misfit for Battle
The phrasing “I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them” (v39, ESV), sheds more light on why David chose not to use the royal armor. It was not just that he was not accustomed to wearing it but that the armor had not been proven and tested through his own experiences. David’s humility and wisdom allowed him to recognize that borrowed armor, though glistening and made for battle, would be unfamiliar and thus an untested façade. Instead, David achieved victory by relying on the tools, skills, and spiritual preparation he had spent years cultivating and testing through hard-won faithful days in the fields. Donning Saul’s armor risked going into battle encumbered by something unfamiliar and unproven for David’s life and calling. With great wisdom beyond his years, David made a profound choice: to face the giant not in the king’s cumbersome armor but with the simple weapons he knew so well: his staff and his sling. Why? Because David’s strength did not lie in man-made armor and swords but in his unwavering faith in the living God (1 Samuel 17:37, ESV).

Rooted Confidence and Courage
“Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd's pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:40, ESV). In these understated verses, we witness the quiet confidence and pragmatism of a young man facing the greatest challenge of his life...so far at least. David did not need fancy armor or swords because he had spent years in the fields, mastering his humble sling and developing a shepherd’s keen eye for finding just the right stones. His weapons were simple, but they were the tools of his experience. This confidence in facing the giant did not arise overnight. Earlier, in 1 Samuel 16:18, David is described as “skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the Lord is with him” (ESV). This last phrase is the key: the Lord’s presence and favor rested on David, instilling courage and strength beyond his years. Later in 17:26, David exclaims “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?” (ESV). David’s boldness flowed not from his own skills and experiences but from an unwavering faith that the living God was on his side against the blasphemous giant. Then, in verse 37, the young shepherd declares his faith: “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (ESV). David’s courage arose from seeing God’s hand of deliverance in past battles with beasts. These humble deeds prepared him for the biggest challenge yet. His boldness was not arrogance but a calm assurance rooted in the proven truth that the Lord was with him. We have all faced giants in our lives, formidable foes that seem unconquerable, whether health issues, financial struggles, family troubles, or that endless pile of work. Like David, we are tempted to rely on worldly armor such as titles, wealth, connections, imitating others, or unhealthy coping mechanisms that only weigh us down. But the true weapons that will slay our giants are the ones we know through hard-won experience, our faith, our integrity, our hard work, our authenticity, and our unwavering trust in God.

Ordinary, Yet Extraordinary
There is something immensely reassuring about the ordinariness of David’s weapons. A staff, a sling, and some stones were not the usual weapons we think of in times of war, yet these simple tools, combined with David’s courage and faith, were enough to bring down the mighty giant. So often, we feel inadequate, believing we need exceptional resources or talents to overcome life’s battles, or we need to be like someone else, wearing their ill-fitting armor. But, David’s story shows us that the most ordinary objects and experiences, backed by faith and determination, can become extraordinary. Those smooth stones did not look like much, but they were enough for a young man trusting in a great God. We do not need to manufacture some grandiose show of strength to face our giants. Each of us has our own humble staff and stones, the gifts, experiences, and character traits that have been part of our journeys all along. Those ordinary aspects, honed through faith and discipline, become powerful weapons against fear, doubt, insecurity, and any other Goliaths we face.

Embracing Authenticity over Armor
When trying on Saul’s armor, young David quickly realized a fundamental truth: imposters and pretenders never survive the battles in life. The heavy armor was not just ill-fitting but was antithetical to who David was...a shepherd, a slinger, a believer in the one true God. There will always be temptations to adopt the world’s version of armor, to craft an image, persona, or lifestyle disconnected from our authentic selves in the hopes of appearing invincible. However, that armor is ill-fitting and saps our true strength and agility. Like David, our greatest battles demand that we stay true to our identity in Christ, embracing the experiences that have shaped us rather than donning a façade. The battles are fierce, and the giants are real, but you have been preparing for this day with every struggle, every act of faith, every humble tool, every skill acquired through life’s journey, and the King of Heaven on your side. So take off that ill-fitting armor of the world and face the challenge with the authenticity and courage exemplified by David. The God who guided that young slinger’s stone will also guide your steps and equip you with everything needed for the victories ahead.

Dear reader, as you go about your week, I challenge you to do two things. First, identify the ordinary tools, experiences, and character qualities that are part of your own life, the staffs, slings, and stones that may seem unassuming but are powerful weapons against the giants you face. Second, think of one step you can take this week to remove the worldly armor, to stop pursuing an image, status, or persona disconnected from your true identity in Christ. It could mean having an honest conversation, ending an unhealthy habit, or simply shifting your mindset. As David demonstrated, the greatest victories are won not through outward pretenses but through courageous authenticity empowered by faith. Face your Goliaths with the humble confidence of who you are, relying on the ordinary yet extraordinary tools and experiences that have prepared you all along, trusting that the God who guided a shepherd’s stone is also guiding your path to triumph over every challenge.