God knew that David needed an intimate friend to walk with him through the valley that was ahead of him. Intimate friends are rare in life. Often we have only one, occasionally two, usually not more than three in our entire lives.

All David had was a sling and a stone as he took on a giant wearing two hundred pounds of armor. It may seem silly, but that’s the way God operates. In the final analysis, there was a whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—one stone flew through the air, and that’s all there was to it. Goliath fell like a sack full of sand. Got any more giants?

The beautiful thing about this story is that it’s a perfect example of how God operates. He magnifies HIS name when we are weak. We don’t have to be eloquent or strong or beautiful or physically fit or handsome. We don’t have to be well-traveled or brilliant or have all the answers to be blessed of God.

Man is impressed with the externals; he doesn’t see the heart. God is different. He doesn’t judge by appearance or intelligence. King Saul hadn’t learned that, however, so he looked at David and said, “You don’t have the size for it. You’re just a kid. Look over there at that giant!”

“There’s no reason for your entire army to be involved in this. Just send a fighter, and I’ll take him on. I am the champion. I am the greatest.” Goliath didn’t issue this challenge one time and then leave. No. His challenge went on for forty days (17:16). Every morning and every evening for well over a month, he strutted out there, flaunting his size and his strength, daring someone to take him on.

God had His hand on this young man whose music not only would fill the heart of a depressed king overwhelmed by blackness, but also would someday fill His written Word. Thus, David, with his primitive stringed instrument, walked bravely into that dark place where Saul was living.

Now that’s not a bad resume, is it? He’s a skilled musician; he’s a man of valor; he’s a warrior; he has control of his tongue; he’s handsome; and the Lord is with him.

God is looking at your town, your city, your neighborhood, and He’s looking for His people to whom He can say, “You are Mine. I want to use you there because you proved yourself faithful there.”

I think it’s important that we notice that the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul before an evil spirit came. Christians read those words about “an evil spirit from God” and they fear that could happen today. I’ve heard evangelists use that as a tool to shock Christians. “You continue to walk in the flesh,” they say, “and God will lift His Spirit from you, and you won’t have God’s presence within you as you once had.”

Here’s our first good look at David. He walks into the house, still smelling like sheep, and all of a sudden an old man hobbles over and pours oil on his head. It drips down his hair and drops on to his neck. Josephus, the historian, writes, “Samuel the aged whispered in his ear the meaning of the symbol, ‘You will be the next king.’ “