One Size Does Not Fit All

And Saul armed David with his armour, and he put an helmet of brass upon his head; also he armed him with a coat of mail. And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him. And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the rook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in s scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.
I Samuel 17:38-40

We all know the rest of the story. David faces Goliath and brings him face down in the dirt with a stone from his sling (not to mention a mighty shove from God). Have you ever wondered what would have happened if David had faced Goliath as Saul intended for him to do? What if David had gone out wearing over-sized armor and carrying a sword that was likely as big as he was? What would have been the outcome?

David was wise enough to know that one size does not fit all. What may have worked best for Saul was not necessarily what would work best for him. That's an important lesson for each of us to remember.

Often in life, we try to get through by use someone else's strategy. We listen to advice from Oprah and Dr. Phil and wonder why things aren't working out the way they should. We follow in the footsteps of our heroes, yet fail to accomplish even an inkling of what they've accomplished. This leaves us doubting our purpose in life and weary of going on, but could it be that we are trying to fight life's battles in someone else's armor?

God did not create all of us with the same talents or personalities. We are each unique. He has a distinct purpose and plan for each of us, and His will can only be performed by using the tools He has equipped us with.

Let me give you another example. When it comes to cars, I'm an idiot. I can put gas in the tank, and sometimes I can figure out how to get the hood open. That's about it. I don't know how to change the spark plugs or even charge the battery, and I'm really not interested in learning. My husband, on the other hand, can take engines apart and put them back together with minimal effort. When he talks "car talk" with me, it's like hearing Charlie Brown's teacher. "Blah, blah, blah, blah." He's using words, but they don't mean a thing to me. So, of the two of us, which one would make a better mechanic? Obviously, the one who has the knowledge and the tools to perform the job.

That's how life is. We each have a purpose. It's our job to find out what it is and to do it. The best place to start in finding out what plans God has for us is to look at the tools He's given us and stop trying to use the tools of others. It's good to have role models, but just because something worked for them does not mean it will work for us. We must find God's specific will for our lives.

So, what tools do you possess? Patience? Skill with numbers? Love of animals? Musical talent? Gather your tools today and put them to work for the glory of God. After all, our path will be much smoother if we'll stop lugging around over-sized armor and hand-and-a-half swords. Let's stick to our own tools. . .even if they're as simple as a sling and a stone.