Who's Your Daddy?

We all know the story of David and Goliath, right? It is the epic tale of a scrawny shepherd boy who stood up against a merciless enemy and came out the victor. Of course, we must not lose sight of the fact that God was the true champion, for it was He who defeated Goliath through David. How else do you explain that the giant fell forward after being struck in the forehead with David’s stone? The laws of physics dictate that he should have fallen backward, but God operates by His own laws.

One of the things that I find intriguing about this story is Saul’s question to his captain, Abner. Take a look: And when Saul saw David go forth against the Philistine, he said unto Abner, the captain of the host, Abner, whose son is this youth? And Abner said, As thy soul liveth, O king, I cannot tell. (I Samuel 17:55) He didn’t ask who David was? He didn’t question how such a gangly youth could have defeated a giant? No, only one inquiry seemed important to Saul at the time: “Who is his daddy?”

Is it possible that the world asks the same of us when God conquers giants through us? Whether it be the giants of fear, discouragement, grief, loss or some other mighty foe, the world around us is quite aware of their existence, for they battle them too. The difference is that they fight their enemies alone, without the power of God on their side. We don’t. The battle is God’s, and if we allow Him (as David did), He will fight for us and through us, bringing victory time after time.

How else do you explain the mother whose children have forsaken her yet she still lives for Jesus? How do you explain the couple who lost their baby yet grew closer to God and each other in the wake of their grief? How do you explain the Christian who’s fighting a lengthy battle with cancer yet encouraging others along the way? The world can’t explain it. They cannot understand it. All they can say is, “What do they have that I don’t?” What they really want to know (though they may not fully understand it) is, “Who’s your Daddy?”

Facing giants is no fun, and anyone who says otherwise is obviously not in their right mind. It’s terrifying, discouraging and frustrating. And often we find ourselves wondering, Why do I have to fight this battle? May I offer this conclusion? Could it be that God is allowing us to go up against these giants so that He can open the door for the Sauls of this world to ask, “Who’s your Daddy?” And in the aftermath of our victory, we can tell them. You see, it’s not just a battle for bragging rights (though it certainly gives us the opportunity to brag on God), but it’s a battle for souls. The biggest giant the world is fighting is the one most of them aren’t even aware of: unbelief. But maybe after witnessing our fighting strategy, they’ll notice the difference in our tactics (fighting in God’s strength instead of our own) and long to know more, just like Saul did.

And as David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, Abner took him, and brought him before Saul with the head of the Philistine in his hand. And Saul said to him, Whose son art thou, thou young man? And David answered, I am the son of thy servant Jesse the Bethlehemite. - I Samuel 17:57-58

David answered the question that Abner couldn’t because the young boy knew exactly who his daddy was. We should be able to do the same, for we know whom we have believed. (For those of you who don’t know, I’d be happy to introduce you to my Daddy. I promise you, He’s unlike any other, and He excels at defeating giants!)