Fighting our Enemies

The story of David and Goliath comes up in the rotation of preaching texts for this Sunday's worship services. All week I've been working through 1 Samuel 17, trying to find the key places that this story intersects with the lives of those I will be preaching to tomorrow. There is something primal about seeing ourselves as David -- the God-favored underdog who defeats godless opponents, all while proving one's self to a sociopathic ruler and skeptical family members. Given the opportunity to "place yourself in the scene" -- a practice that is used in some devotional methods of reading the Bible -- most of us would line ourselves up with David. We all want to be the shepherd with five stones and a sling.

Then on Wednesday a young white man murdered nine black worshipers at a service at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston. I instantly thought, "He thinks he's David." Admittedly, I haven't heard the shooter specifically reference Israel's boy warrior, but I have no doubt that he saw himself as a savior, fighting alone against the odds. Reading 1 Samuel -- or any part of the Bible -- in the wrong way can be very dangerous. Indeed, trying to make every Scripture passage fit our own personal agenda or situation can lead us astray, especially when we assume that the Bible endorses violence.

We've all read 1 Samuel 17. On the surface it is a  pretty straight-forward account that teaches "trust in God, and you'll defeat your enemies." No doubt that's a part of this chapter's meaning. But many of us take this a step further and assume that behind this story is a God who approves of violence. Here are a few reasons why I think this is a wrong approach:

• We're not totally sure about David's motivations here. Sure, verses 37 and 46 have David claiming that he's fighting for the Lord. But in the lead-up to his big showdown with the giant, David is promised a reward for winning. Verse 25 says, "The king will greatly enrich the man who kills him, and will give him his daughter and make his family free in Israel." I don't know too many young men who would be able to go into this battle clear-headed and not consider those offers on the table. There is some hint of David's personal motivation in his brother's accusation in verse 28: "I know your presumption and the evil of your heart; for you have come down just to see the battle." Did David have the Lord's best interests in mind, or his own? If he trusted only in God, then would he need to use a weapon at all?

•  God never tells David to use violence. In fact, God doesn't talk in this story at all. The Lord is not slow to speak in this part of the Bible -- just look at how many times he directs Samuel in the previous chapters. But in chapter 17 God says nothing -- it seems as if David has decided for himself how to resolve the problem of the giant's challenges. This is a life-long struggle for David, and at the end of his life David's violent ways disqualify him from building God's temple (1 Chronicles 28:3).

• It wasn't a fair fight -- for Goliath. Malcom Gladwell, the best-selling author, has an interesting take on David's fighting methods. In the video clip below, he claims that David craftily shifted the terms of battle into his own favor. Goliath probably suffered from a brain tumor, which caused him to grow larger than normal and affected his eyesight. David brought a gun to a knife fight and killed a man who was being manipulated and coerced by the Philistine armies. (Here's the link to the talk, in case the image clip below doesn't show up in your email or blog reader: https://www.ted.com/talks/malcolm_gladwell_the_unheard_story_of_david_and_goliath?language=en)

The Black Church in America has a long history of being targeted by violent racists. While it seems inconceivable that anyone would consider African-American Christians as an enemy, the murders in Charleston are the latest in a long line of similar travesties. We have a long way to go in this country to repent of all the ugly and intertwined sin and evil that have infested our collective psyche and individual souls. As long as people tolerate or encourage violence as an appropriate means for solving problems, then we will be constantly tempted to find enemies -- real or imagined -- so that we can exercise these tools of war. Here's a suggestion for attempting to undo the evils of racism in America: Let's stop interpreting our scriptures in ways that endorse violence. The bigger message of the Bible is that God will bring about a new kingdom of peace. Violence has never been a part of God's plan. God's people are meant to use forgiveness and hospitality to win battles, not the weapons of war.