David and Goliath

I came upon this blog entry through Facebook and thought it was worth a comment or two. Dr. David Lamb is a professor at Biblical Theological Seminary in Hatfield, PA, the school from which I received an M.A. in 1992. Lamb was not a professor of mine – and while I’m not sure, I suspect he may have been learning his ABC’s at the time.

I am taking my lead from Dr. Lamb’s assessment of Malcolm Gladwell’s book. First, I agree with Dr. Lamb’s conclusion that Goliath was probably not a lumbering, half-blind giant of a man with the IQ of a beet. Goliath was most assuredly a man of immense physical proportions – enough to scare the … tar out of every Israelite.

But I think more importantly, Gladwell would be correct if he viewed the situation from a spiritual point of view. Unfortunately, he does not. It is all from a physical viewpoint. Granted the physical may be the emphasis of the text, but there is an underlying spiritual viewpoint here also. Goliath really did not have a chance physically based on the spiritual situation in play.

It is odd and sad that a man such as Gladwell who writes religious/spiritual books does not support his argument from the spiritual angle as opposed to the physical. He misses the whole point.

Lamb is correct in his conclusion, “David, the underdog, defeated Goliath the champion with the help of his God.”

And, David, it is not whether you are a “giant” in the world of publishing. It is whether you are a man of immense spiritual proportions.

I’m know you are.

 

[Image from Bible Pathways - Rose Kendall: One Year Bible, May 15]