Five Smooth Stones. The Power of Truth.

If you're familiar with the story of David and Goliath, David a young sheep herder took down a Philistine giant that struck fear in the heart of Israel's entire army. And he did it with a slingshot, one smooth stone, and in the name of God Almighty.

Here's the biblical account:

8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” 10 Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” 11 On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.

32 David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.”

33 Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”

34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”

Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.” 38 Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 39 David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.

“I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So he took them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.

With a single stone David defeated Goliath.

This story speaks to me in several ways. We all have giants and society has a lot to say about how we should defeat them just like Saul did but we are each created uniquely and there is a way we best learn and function. We also need to consider the experiences that equip us to face the giants -- our gifts and talents big and small and call on them. And lastly we need to realize we are not alone in our fight --we have the wisdom of the divine within us. And lastly God provided the stones. What opportunities and resources has God provided.

I love what David did. He equipped himself with five smooth stones and the truth that God was bigger than any giant he faced.

So what are your five smooth stones? What scripture speaks truth into your life? What word or phrase speaks truth into your situation to help you be an overcomer? What are your gifts and talents? What door, opportunity, or resource has God provided?

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." F.D. Roosevelt. Be Kind, Be Brave, Be Bold, Be True, Be You ... Be Kekoa

aromatic blessings,

Tricia