March madness is
over. Many employers are glad this preoccupation with the championship is done.
Lots of work was delayed according to a 2012 MSN survey because 86 percent of
respondents devoted at least part of their workday to updating brackets,
checking scores, or
actually following games during the workday. That amounts to 100 million
distracted employees. How amazing that a sporting competition would have such
an impact.
Equally amazing to me was how often sports writers made reference to one
biblical story during the NCAA championship. The reference to a David
and Goliath matchup was frequently made. Headlines read, “March Madness: Will David or Goliath win the
NCAA tournament?” (sun-sentinel.com). Sports writers still summarize the 1985 Villanova
Wildcats 79% shooting against the Georgetown Hoyas and their victory with these
terms, “And that’s how David defeated Goliath.” (cheatsheet.com ). How
interesting to have one event in David’s life become the defining moment of his
entire life in the minds of some individuals.
As the late Paul Harvey
used to say, “Here is the rest of the story.” David was not always successful.
He was successful when he focused upon the fact that the enemy he faced would
be defeated by the Lord. He did not focus upon the height, equipment, or the
reputation of Goliath. He focused upon this truth, “It is not by sword or spear
that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s” (1 Samuel 17:47). With his smaller stature, inferior weapons,
and multiple detractors, he walked forward by faith in the living God to face a
seemingly insurmountable enemy. The impressive result, which continues to be
referenced to today, was the defeat of an overwhelming foe.
However, David was
unsuccessful when he allowed the fear of an enemy to become his dominating
focus and controlling factor. A few years later Goliath was replaced by a new
enemy, King Saul. This king was ruled by jealous pride and made it clear that
he would eliminate David, the champion of Israel. On several occasions Saul had
attempted to kill David. The pressure of constant attack weighed upon this
courageous and successful warrior until David ran for his life. He no longer
focused upon the Lord. He focused upon King Saul and the attempts upon his life.
He resorted to deception (21:1-3), human weapons (21:8-9), and his own
distorted plans (21:10-13). This was a very different approach to the way he faced
an enemy in his past.
The result was tragic.
He was humiliated and regarded as a mad man (21:14-15). His deception of
Ahimelech so the priest would provide food and weapons to David and his men
ultimately had deadly consequences. Saul is told what the priest had done, and
Saul charges him with conspiracy against him (22:13-16) and sentenced Ahimelech
and his whole family to death. Eighty-five men, as well as the town in which
the priests lived were slaughtered (22:18-20). When David learned of this, he
confesses with shame (22:22), “I am responsible for the death.” David
discovered that a distorted focus can become a deadly focus.
That is the rest of the
story. One victory does not make you a perpetual champion. You only win
spiritual victories when your faith is firmly fixed upon the source of your
strength, the living God. The rest of the rest of the the story is this; David
began once again to seek to be ruled by the guidance of the Lord and not the
domination of fear in his life (23:9-13). He could not reverse the failure that
had cost others their life. He could, however, repent and not repeat the
disastrous actions of his immediate past. Thus he returns to the Lord both
seeking and obeying God’s will.
How often I have had a
success only to have it followed up by failure. An illustration of this is in
the way I play golf. I am a duffer at best playing usually no more than once a
year. One of my friends, willing to endure playing with me, gave me instruction
to keep my head down during my tee shot. Following his advice I hit a great tee
shot – at least great for me. The next hole I got up to the tee, forgot my
instruction, lifted my head to see how successful my tee shot was going to be,
and the ball dribbled off the tee for several yards. I was playing golf by
sight – looking in advance where the ball would go. I should be playing by
faith – keeping by head down, my eye on the ball, and not looking where the
ball would go. Do I operate this way sometimes in my spiritual life? I have a
spiritual success as I operate by faith. After that achievement, I forget the
key to a successful Christian living and try operating by sight. The difficulty
is my sight is often upon the wrong thing. I must remember to consistently keep
my focus upon the living God and not what lies before me.
After you have faced down a “Goliath” in your life, keep in mind there will be more giants with different names to face in the future. Keep focused upon the source of your victory – the living God and the power of His might. This is the way to keep the rest of the story from becoming a disappointment.
