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I had forgotten, or maybe never noticed what a well written story this Samuel classic is. Hear its attention to detail, the artful development of conflict and climax. The images are clear and imaginative. Can’t you just see desert dusty Israelites sitting around a campfire or sitting inside their tents, oil lamps burning, each one leaning in toward the storyteller? Or how about Mike bringing David and Goliath to life after sundown while gathered on the Retreat House porch?

In storyteller form, the tale would begin much earlier in the life of our hero, David. We would meet Saul, the king who did regular battle with the Philistines. We would know of his warrior son, Jonathon. We would watch Saul age and witness the prophet Samuel’s search for a new king. We would learn about Jesse and his eight sons. We would hear the songs of young David and see them calm the anxious spirit of Saul. We would know of Yahweh’s love and steadfast promises to Israel and the consequences of disobedience. We would be primed to hear how this youthful teenager might grow to rule a nation.

Someone has examined the 58 verses in chapter 17 and has found that only 20% of the verses actually describe the confrontation between David and Goliath. That means 80% of the chapter is preparing the way and a small portion is aftermath. The writer concludes that by focusing solely on David and Goliath, we miss the greatest part of the passage and its emphasis. I tend to think of it as a good action flick. The showdown and slingshot scene are memorable and essential to the story. However, what makes the story and climax scene so good is the character development. We have here an ancient folktale involving a bully, an underdog, a cowardly army and king, and a God who has favorites.

Today’s scripture makes one of the points of Jim’s sermon last week. Jesus encourages us to have the faith of a mustard seed. May we grow into – shrubbery. Jesus is forever turning assumptions and expectations upside down. He is relating primarily to the Jews who grew up on stories like todays. The little guy defeats the giant. Seeds grow into cedars. There are those in the neighborhood that would frame it this way, “The Democrats unseat the Republicans!” “The Nationals win the series!” We love a good defy the odds story.

Reading and hearing this text in 2006, cognizant of international, national and local events, there are a few things that stand up and out for me. One is war. The battle that is trying to be fought could have been avoided. The Philistines had invaded the land of Israel. How many billions of people have died over border rights? How many spears and missiles are fired without an equally passionate attempt at negotiation? Why is greed rewarded and compassion is not? Examining this chapter with a military eye, Saul prolongs the confrontations because of his poor decisions.

This particular battle is at a stalemate. Neither side wants to fight but pride locks their horns. Both are at a disadvantage given the mountains. Philistine chariots are designed for relatively level ground. Uniforms of heavy steel and bronze are not the most practical when running up and down a hill. The Israelites are no more savvy fighting on mountains. And, they are intimidated. Moral is not exactly high. But like soldiers before them and too many after them, the war will continue to be waged.

The lengthy standoff has a pretty good resolution however. One man from each side duke it out. The winner gets the prize. A war with one casualty. Of course this solution rarely works because a winners and losers system undermines cooperation. But think of the possibilities. If cooperation failed, countries that needed to kill one another could kill just one person. It’s not a novel idea. We have a religion built upon one person dying for the salvation of all. One death for the life of a whole people – takes the testosterone out of war.

There are a few great lines on peacemaking in this story. Saul gives David his armor and sword. “I can’t walk with these. I’m not used to them.”  Later as David and Goliath meet David says, “You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord, the God of the armies you have defied.” To be true to the text the following line is important. “This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand and I will strike you down and cut your head off.” Kind of undermines any swords into plowshares attitude. Jesus had his work cut out for him, introducing a new way to co-exist.

Something else in this story that is especially poignant today is the exchange David has with Saul prior to his facing Goliath. “I, your servant, will go fight this Philistine.” Saul is shocked. “You’re not able to go fight, you are just a boy. This man has been a soldier all his life.” But David replied, “I used to keep sheep for my father. Whenever a bear or lion came and took a sheep from my flock, I went after it and struck it down. I rescued the lamb from its mouth. If the bear or lion turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, throw it down and kill it.” Sounds like developmentally normal young male bravado to me.

Here is the nugget: “The Lord who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this giant.”

When life gets difficult, what gets us through? When we think we can’t, what prods us to at least try? We call upon our memory of past trials and our survival. We recall our bear and lion stories.

We begin collecting these stories, these testimonies to our resilience, early. Childhood can be filled with memories of overcoming or enduring. We leave behind best friends, neighborhoods and schools. We lose a parent or sibling. A treasured pet or toy is lost. We are presented with a choice, two roads so to speak. Quit or keep going. Look backwards or look forward.  Most of us are not conscious of making a decision. We just do something.

Our choices and what we might consider options are shaped by the sacred in our lives. I grew up believing in God. I believed in God because my parents and family did. Because the nuns who first taught me did. My reality was interpreted through an ecumenical Christian lens. God loved me, no matter what. When things got scary and ugly at home, I knew God was paying attention. When being part of the popular crowd seemed out of my reach, I knew the crowd didn’t really have the final vote. Faith matters.

Our entire lives we collect experiences, we embody a wisdom that allows us to say, “God has saved me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear. God will save me from this giant.” What are the giants in your life? What giants do you need to confront? What giants do you need to ignore? What giants need befriending?

This past week we all got a letter from Jim Todhunter and from Ruth Prindle. Jim is retiring from professional ministry at the end of next summer, 2007. Jim is leaving CCC. Most of us knew this was coming, sometime. He turns 64 this August believe it or not!

Jim’s announcement ushers in a new chapter in our lives together. We are already different than one week ago. Letting go of a friend, colleague and minister, especially one serving this church now 23 years, is not easy. The next 14 months will be joy-filled, tear-filled and everything in between. Change. We humans resist it yet we are surrounded by change constantly. Perhaps we simply remember the difficult changes and fail to notice the day to day adjustments, course corrections and effortless responses to new information.

When people ponder the biggest giants in their lives, often those giants dwell under the heading, FEAR. We are afraid of failure; afraid of success; afraid of pain, physical and emotional; afraid of change; we are afraid of the unknown. Visualizing CCC without Jim Todhunter presents a huge unknown. How are we going to manage? What will an interim time look like, feel like? What about this? What about that? Anxiety is not out of place.

What many of you know better than I is this: CCC has weathered many transitions. There have been changes that pulled at your heart and challenged your faith. Certainly losing Rev. Joey Noble to cancer had to be one of your most difficult and bonding times. You have said hello and goodbye to clergy, staff, and building blueprints. We have and will continue to say hello and goodbye to church members and friends. We walk through these changes, into new unknowns with a spirited attitude. I don’t necessarily mean with a skip in our step. We are a spirit led spirit filled people. We have faced giants before. We do not face them alone. Let’s not forget our bear and lion stories as we move into whatever is next.

And finally, there is that little sentence that says in part, “He picked up five smooth stones from the river.” What makes a stone smooth?

I’m a water person, mostly lakes and rivers. I have a small collection of stones that remind me of places far away. Lake Superior. Hudson’s Bay. The Canadian arctic. Jaime is beginning a collection. The Cacapon River has at least one less rock each visit.

Rocks tell stories. Their shape, their composition, their size and location. I am intrigued by smooth stones. The feel of soft hardness. Their ability to dance across water when tossed just so. Small smooth stones are great pocket rocks. I have one with the word courage written on it. I carried it with me while I prayed through a major personal transition.

Smooth stones are a David and Goliath story of sorts. Something very small wears away something very big or strong. A single drop of water, over and over, wears down a stone. A steady flow of water rounds the rocks below the river’s surface.

Nevermind that David’s stone fractured Goliath’s skull and killed him. Think about five smooth stones immersed in or alongside a river, lake or ocean. The stones hold a certain quality in them like faith, compassion, forgiveness or courage. Pick up the stone you need. Put it in your pocket. Go with God to meet whatever awaits.

Amen.

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