Saturday, May 29, 2010

May 29, 2010

"When Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, "Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle." I Samuel 17:28
Today's giant lesson is not as uplifting as most. It reflects an unfortunate attitude that manifests itself too often in fellowships. We see this expressed in our Scripture text for the day.
What is the attitude I am referring to? It is demonstrated by David's brother. Not only did he not want to fight the giant, he didn't want David to do it either. There are people like that. You have probably seen them. They are content being victims and they hang out with other victims who would rather complain about the giant than confront him. When someone else steps up to fight the giant that person becomes a threat to them. There are people, well-being as they may be, who don't want to fight giants and they don't want anyone else doing it either.
So, here we find David trying to defeat an enemy and deliver his people but finding opposition from the very people he wants to help. I have encountered that. Maybe you have, too.
You would think that everyone would be excited by someone daring enough to take on a giant. You would think they would want to encourage that. Not so. Unfortunately, victims become victims because they think like victims and get comfortable with victimhood. Before we get to critical of them, we have to honestly admit we all have our comfort zones and they are called comfort zones for a reason - they feel comfortable. It is hard to blast out of a comfort zone. Fortunately, David's comfort zone was fighting lions, and bears and giants.
As we see, those who get comfortable with losing are uncomfortable having a winner around. A winner exposes their losing. A victor casts a bad light on their victim-hood. It causes them to have to face their impotence. No one likes that.
Life is made up of winners and losers. Successful living is about hating to lose, learning to win, and resisting comfort zones. Losing is easier than winning but ultimately extracts a higher cost and the hardest part is not settling into comfort zones.
Like David, God calls His followers to fight giants. He expects us to be victors and not victims. One of the biggest giants each of us will fight is our comfort zones. Another word for comfort zones is "mediocrity". It is in our nature to do just enough to assure our basic comforts are met and then settle in and coast. When someone with a desire for excellence shows up it exposes our mediocrity and that is a threat.
David faced two giants that day. The Philistine giant and the mediocrity of his own people. One of the great purposes that a giant-killer serves is not only killing the giant but stirring up the saints. The latter may have been the biggest victory of that day - killing Goliath but pushing God's people out of their mediocrity. God had given David a holy discontent which derived from a holy hunger for God.
Are you stuck in a comfort zone? Are you settling for mediocrity? Have you lost your holy hunger? Have you quenched your holy discontent?
One of two things will happen. Either God will send a giant your way or He will send a David. Maybe He already has. If so, it is time to stop moaning and start moving. See them for what they are, God confronting the mediocrity in your spirit.
It happens to each of us and we have to be continually on guard against it. That is why I am asking the hard question today. How is your holy hunger? Have you lost your holy discontent? Do you need to reject your victimhood and repent of it? When was your last victory?