Stick to what works for you | By: J.O. Lawal | Date: October 07, 2024 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 7, No. 22

“Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 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. 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.” (1Sam 17:38-40NIV)

Why did David refuse to use King’s Saul’s armour and weapons when he was going to fight Goliath? Was it out of pride? No! Or what is out of respect for the king? No! Rather, it was because he was not used to wearing an armour or to fighting in one. Therefore, Saul’s armour and weapons were simply going to put him at a disadvantage, even though the king did not mean for that to happen. And David was wise enough to know that and also bold enough to say ‘No’ to what would not work for him.

Now did he defeat Goliath on that occasion or not? He did! With what did he defeat him? With a sling and a stone! How did that happen? How did he succeed in defeating a warrior giant with a sling and a stone? First, he succeeded in defeating him because God was with him. Second, he succeeded in defeating him because he was extremely good with using the sling. In fact, as we see in the account, he only slung just one stone and Goliath was dead meat.

So, you can see that David did not really need Saul’s armour and weapon to win that fight. Yes, wearing the king’s armour and handling his weapons would be a great honour for him. But the whole thing may have looked ridiculously terrible on him, given the fact that King Saul himself was not at all a small man in stature – he was the tallest in all Israel when he became king. (Cf. 1Sam 10:23)

Besides, Saul’s armour and weapons would not on their own give David the much-needed victory over Goliath; it was the use to which he put them that would give him victory over the giant. And since he was not used to them, they would contribute nothing to his victory, even if he won using them. On the contrary, as I mentioned earlier, they would most likely slow him down and be the reason he would lose.

What, then, is the point of all this? It is that in handling life matters, we should be clear about what works for us and what does not work for us. That way, even if people should offer us what will not work for us for free, we will know how to respectfully and boldly reject it or lay it aside. Otherwise, we may expose ourselves to avoidable failure or shame.

Truly, out of care or pity, people may offer us new tools, new weapons, new dresses, new shoes or new ways of doing things to meet an opportunity or to handle a challenge. And nothing is wrong with that, since they mean well. But if what they are offering us is not what we can immediately use for the occasion at hand, without any form of training or practice, it will be wisdom for us to respectfully lay it aside. We can, of course, use it in the future, when we have mastered the art of using it, but not for the occasion at hand. Otherwise, failure and disgrace may be what will follow.

For instance, if, as a lady, you are not accustomed to wearing high-heel shoes, don’t force yourself to wear them on your weeding day, simply because it is your childhood friend that bought them for you. Or else you may just be calling for disgrace.

Also, if you have not been teaching your students using a tablet, don’t attempt to use one during a teaching interview, simply because a friend is offering it to you and telling you that it will make you look professional. Has anybody said that it is compulsory that you use a tablet for the interview? If no one has said that, then, it is surely not a prerequisite to success in the interview. Insisting on using it, then, may just make you make a fool of yourself.

Am I now saying that you should not try new inventions or new ways of doing things? No! As you have opportunity, you should get yourself acquainted with new innovations, new inventions and new ways of doing things in life. That is one of the ways to show that you are not stagnant. But in handling immediate matters of your life and where you have a choice, stick to using only those things that work for you. I pray that disgrace will always be far from you, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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