For a few years now the rage for children and some adults are superheroes and princesses. Yes, I said adults. Batman, Spiderman, etc., are the rage in many adult movies. Maybe it’s because we want to escape the world of reality, or it may bring us back to nostalgic feelings of happy days from our childhood. Nonetheless, it’s here and booming in revenue. Little girls love to pretend to be a princess and little boys want to be a superhero. When I began to think about the way kids are drawn to these make-believe characters my mind immediately realized we are missing a grand opportunity to teach our children true stories of superheroes and princesses. The Bible is full of adventure, and it is not make-believe. Today I’ll begin by looking at our superhero David to show us how God rewards trust and obedience. It will also show us how courage can replace fear.
Think about David. He was a young man tending sheep for His father, and God placed him in a position to save the Israelites from sure death or captivity. David was facing a giant and I’m sure that there was an element of fear, however, it did not rule his thinking or actions. David trusted God and made that known to the Israelites and to the enemy.
In I Samuel chapter 17, David arrives at the camp of the Israelite army. They are all fearful of this giant Goliath, but David knew His God and he trusted Him. He knew his weapons were not physical because God was in control. This adventure will teach your children that God is bigger than any enemy we have. He cares about us and protects us. He always provides what we need to overcome the enemies that life brings our way. He gave David a slingshot and a smooth stone. A simple unbelievable answer but God’s answer is always right.
I Samuel 17:40 “And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.”
I Samuel 17:45 “Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.”
I Samuel 17:49-50 “And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.”
It will also teach them that through our obedience God is preparing us for greater things for Him. David had been with sheep, protecting and tending them in the wilderness. He had killed a bear and a lion. Now, God would use this obedient young man to defend His people. God always tests us on our obedience before He gives us greater challenges. David passed the test. His fear was conquered because he had learned obedience while in the field.
It will teach them courage. With our trust in God and our obedience to Him, our fears will be diminished. We will have the courage to push forward because we know who is truly in control. David understood God would never give him a task to complete without the tools to do it. He didn’t have to go buy a new weapon or find a new program to implement his obedience, he needed to use what God had already given him. We have God’s word and while he may give us creative ways to use it the answer to our fears is always in the Word.
If you continue to read about David, you will see how God used him throughout his life. How this superhero failed, but God restored him and continued to use him. This superhero is better than anything the movie industry can come up with and it’s real! Take time to study it for yourself and teach it to your children.
