Five Smooth Stones: Part One

[Josprel]

                                                                                                           Five Smooth Stones
                                                                                                                          by
                                                                                                                      Josprel

                                                                                                                    Part One

The Apostle John recorded the indispensable difference between a true shepherd and a hireling (John 10:11-14) - "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd . . ."

A good shepherd loves his sheep, but so does a wolf - only in another fashion. A wolf loves a meal of mutton; it considers such a meal delicious. So do lions, coyotes, bears, wild dogs, hyenas, and other predators. These all endanger the sheep and also the shepherd, without whose protection the flock has no chance of fending off the predators. No one better human hero exemplifies a true shepherd then King David, who has been called, "The Shepherd King of Israel."

God sent the Prophet Samuel to David’s hometown of Bethlehem to anoint a new king from among the sons of Jesse, David’s father. Upon Samuel's arrival at Bethlehem, Jesse's eldest son, Eliab, was the first to come before him. Apparently, Eliab appeared like kingly material, for so impressed was the prophet with his appearance that he exclaimed, "Surely the Lord's anointed is before Him!" (1st Samuel 16:6).

Nonetheless, Eliab's manly proportions did not impress God, who said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

One by one, David's seven brothers appeared before Samuel, but in turn each was rejected, no doubt puzzling the prophet, for he asked Jesse, "The Lord has not chosen these . . . Are all of the young men here?" (Verses 10 11).

“The youngest remains. He is keeping the sheep," Jesse informed him.

“Send for him; bring him here,” Samuel instructed.

When the young shepherd arrived, God said to the prophet, "Anoint him; this is the one."

This account of David teaches three important lessons:

1. God calls busy people into His service: David was obediently tending his father's flocks when God sent Samuel to anoint him as king of Israel. Those who desire that God grant them responsible tasks must first be responsible to the tasks already before them, no matter how mundane they may seem. Sadly, many refuse the hidden, unglamorous tasks in a local church because they receive no public acclaim for doing them. David, however, was faithfully performing his task in a field. And it was there from which he was called to receive the anointing as the king of Israel. God will grant no higher responsibility to one who is unfaithful to a lesser one.

2. God does not gauge a person by ordinary standards: God applies His own measure to assess if He may use a person for His glory: Apparently, all of David's brothers appeared more kinglike than he. Yes, he was "ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking," but so are many teenagers. These characteristics do not qualify one to be a king. However, because of his outward appearance, Eliab impressed Samuel as being kingly material, yet Eliab was one who cowered with the rest of Saul's army when Goliath, the Philistine warrior - some nine feet, eight inches in height - defied the Israelite warriors by challenging them to send someone to fight one-to-one with him.

"He wore bronze armor that weighed about 125 pounds and a bronze helmet. His legs were also protected by bronze armor, and he carried a bronze javelin slung over his shoulder. His spear was a thick as the bar on a weaver's loom and its iron head weighed about fifteen pounds. A soldier walked in front of him carrying his shield" (1 Samuel 17: 4-7; Good News Bible; American Bible Society; New York).

3. God often uses those whom others consider unworthy for a task and, through them, achieves astounding victories for His name: Samuel recorded that Goliath "stood and cried out unto the armies of Israel, and said unto them, 'Why have you come armed for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the warriors of Saul? Choose someone from among you to come down here and battle me. If he is able to fight and kill me, then we will be your slaves; but if I overcome and kill him, then you shall be our slaves . . . I defy the armies of Israel today. Send a man to battle me'" (1st Samuel 17:8-10).

Eliab, who seemed so kinglike to Samuel, cowered before the giant with the rest of Saul's army, not daring to accept the challenge. It required the simple faith of the teenage shepherd, David, who had tested his faith in God by killing lions and bears who dared to endanger his flock. He believed the God who had given him victory over the lions and bears would grant him victory over the blaspheming Goliath.

                                                                                                      Continued in Part Two