| 1 Samuel 17:29 – “Can’t I even speak?” |
The story of David and Goliath never gets old.
Even those who don’t claim to be people of faith are familiar with the narrative. David, a young Israelite shepherd underdog, trounces Goliath, a towering Philistine behemoth warrior.
The whole plot is inspiring, but I find David’s interactions with his older brothers especially intriguing. Everyone in Israel, including King Saul, is terrified of Goliath and evades fighting him. When David arrives at the battlefield, David’s oldest brother, Eliab, angrily and unfairly accuses David for only coming to see a good fight (1 Samuel 17: 28).
Yet when accused of being a nosy and conceited spectator, David responds, “Can’t I even speak?” (1 Samuel 17: 29, NIV). Well, that’s how several newer translations render the verse, but I particularly appreciate how some older translations (KJV, RSV, ASV, NKJV,) render it, “Is there not a cause?”
Of course there was a cause. And a critical one at that.
Because Israel was being taunted and threatened, a shepherd armed by divine abilities and driven by God’s heart wanted to know what was going to be done. Even more specifically, what he could do.
Great leaders and visionaries see a cause. They identify problems, opportunities, or needs, and transform causes into beneficial effects.
Had David not seen the cause, the battle with Goliath would have never been fought; and if the battle had never been fought, Israel would have become a Philistine zip code.
But what about you? What causes need to be championed in your life? And how can you lead the way?
Maybe it’s becoming a leader in a bewildered workplace. Maybe it’s becoming a calming voice in a chaotic home. Maybe it’s promoting a stable spirit in a Bible class. Maybe it’s shining like a beacon of hope in a community. Maybe it’s developing an evangelistic voice in a neighborhood.
Wherever we are and whatever we’re doing, there’s always a cause for Christ. We must see it, believe it, and most importantly—champion it.
My friend, what’s your cause? Like it or not, people are depending on you.
- Jacob Hawk
