March 25 - David & Goliath

1 Samuel 17

At the turn of this century the movie Gladiator was released.  Starring Russel Crowe the storyline takes place back in ancient Rome. Russel Crowe's character, Maximus, was the leading general of the army of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. After the emperor is murdered by his own evil son, Commodus, Maximus refuses to bow down to the diabolical heir. As a result Maximus's family is murdered and Maximus becomes a slave in North Africa. Through a series of gory events Maximus becomes a gladiator and ends up fighting in the legendary colosseum of Rome, eventually taking on Emperor Commodus. In every altercation throughout the movie Maximus is fearless, going up against Goliath type adversaries and destroying them. I was 20 when Gladiator came out and it was immediately one of my favorite moves of all time. On some level Maximus represented to me the ideal male role model. Fearless in the face of danger and capable of great violence when the need arose, he could eviscerate anyone put in front of him despite great odds. He was completely confident in himself and his abilities. 

Rewind 15 years or so before the making of Gladiator and I received my first introduction to the story of David and Goliath. As a young boy those same feelings were aroused in me. I wanted to be like David. When everyone else was terrified he was brave. When no one else rose to the occasion he stepped up and slayed the giant killing him with his own hands. I knew violence was wrong but being able to inflict it when "necessary" was innately very appealing to me from my earliest memories. Along with that allure was my confusion of why a God who I was told was loving would have a hero who killed people and why I was so attracted to it.

Now in my mid 40's rereading David and Goliath I'm reminded of my struggle to reconcile a story of significant violence (not only is Goliath killed but when the Philistines flee the men of Israel pursue and slaughter them) with a God of love. Why didn't God facilitate a scenario where David convinces Goliath of the errors of his ways and they become buddies instead of David cutting off his head and carrying it around (at 9 feet tall Goliath's head must have been massive and David very strong)? And why, even as I would like to think I've grown and matured, is the story of a man without fear rising up and inflicting a "righteous" death on an evil man still draw me in?....The answer is I'm not really sure. 

I will say that I noticed a new detail I had missed when reading the story previously. For 40 days Goliath came out and challenged the Israelites and for 40 days the Isrealites did not respond because "Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified". I'm not a biblical scholar but 40 days is said to represent a time of testing and transformation, arguably a time where you recognize you can't depend on yourself but you need God. If some Israelite hero, a Maximus if you will, had strolled out and destroyed Goliath on day one it would just be another Gladiator story. A man of complete confidence and competence, under his own skills, rises up and destroys evil showing that if you are brave enough and tough enough you can handle anything. Instead the Israelites cower feeling the shame of being afraid and incompetent. They recognize they are weak and ultimately only through God's help is there a path forward.  Maybe through this vision we as individuals, and Christians in general, can move forward and subvert our own tendencies to want to be brave, violent, and in control of our own destinies and instead be humble, peaceful and recognize our best destiny is in God's hands.

Link to Bible verses: 1 Samuel 17