Family Ties

My reading this morning took me into the story of David and Goliath.  There are many issues that are significant on a more global plain, but I got to looking at relationships –especially family.

David was brought to the palace to play for Saul who was inwardly tormented.  We’ll leave that, and all its surrounding questions, be for this round.  The music worked.

A person in the palace recommended David when they started talking about a musician.  The description he gave is epic:  "He’s an accomplished musician, he’s brave and strong, an excellent warrior, refined, intelligent and, oh yeah, he’s really good looking."

Now I’m sure a King isn’t going to want a moron, someone who is physically repulsive or totally lacking in social grace.  But he’s looking for a musician not a soldier or public envoy.  I guess the description kind of grabbed me this morning. Can you tell?

As I said, the music worked and Saul brought him on permanently.  He also made him an armor bearer and as a youth, David went with him on his campaigns.  David also went back and helped with overseeing his fathers flocks –especially when his older brothers were called to serve the army. 

After one such visit home, David returned to find a 10 ft Goliath stomping about trying to call a champion out of the army of Israel to fight with him for ultimate rule of the territory: “We win, you are our slaves.  Your nation is no more.  You win, we are your slaves.”  He was kind of hard to miss –even though a valley stretched between the two armies.

So David went from group to group asking what would be the reward to the man who fought and defeated Goliath.  It was curious that when he got the answer, he continued on to the next group of soldiers.  I’ve considered it from a different angle in this reading.  Perhaps David’s intent was to call out the champion in one of these soldiers, to make someone understand that he could be that champion and bring the victory to his homeland.  But his brother Eliab didn’t see it that way.

Eliab told him off.  He called him conceited, a useless onlooker.  He told him to go home and take care of the sheep.  David’s reply was “I didn’t do anything wrong.  Can’t I even talk?”  And then he continued on.

So one of my questions this morning is why did Eliab react the way he did?

Was he embarrassed by his ‘little’ brother?  Did he feel humiliated, like the family would be ridiculed because of David’s behavior?

Or perhaps, he was jealous and offended.  Samuel had obviously been impressed with him and yet he was passed over.  His youngest brother was a self-made prodigy, an accomplished musician who had been taken into the palace.  His ‘little’ brother was a fearless shepherd who had killed predators in his shepherding and told about it.  He wrote poetry that would span the centuries. He was well mannered and refined: the spoiled brat that had been chosen to be the next king –Yeah, right.  And he was really good looking.

The third consideration was that perhaps Eliab was afraid.  He was a soldier; Saul was his King.  David his youngest brother had been publicly anointed by the most powerful man in the country to replace Saul.  This strong giant was threatening his freedom and livelihood.  Strong men often erupt when they feel fear.  If they lived through Goliath, they might not live through the attention David was calling to himself and his family.

Perhaps it was ‘all of the above.’

It made me think about the reactions that come about when the common is confronted with the uncommon superior exceptional.  Do I rejoice in the elevation of people with a little sharper idea or presentation?  Do I celebrate the uncommon, out of the box, un-comfort zone efforts of others?  Do I worry about my own position and future when I see someone willing to step to the edge of a precipice while holding my hand?  Do I cry out “Out of line!” when my world is out of control?

I know it’s not the story and hypothetical situations have no resolution, but what if Eliab had been willing to step into Goliath by faith?  But then, maybe that’s why he was not chosen.

Just my thoughts on this day from 1 Samuel 17.  Blessings.