Choosing A Side

Day two hundred forty-two

I have a lot to do today and for some reason I just can't seem to shake this tired feeling.  I prayed for energy this morning.  The energy to help me fulfill all that He has in store for me today! 
1 Samuel 17
Can you picture this in your head, the Philistines gathered on a mountain on the one side, the Israelites gathered on a mountain on the other side, and this valley in between them with no one in it (v 3)? This is a classic match up between two armies. It brings to mind a scene from a movie where the two long-standing enemies are standing across from each other with hate glaring in their eyes, the music in the background starts to get louder, and you know that there is going to be an epic battle coming! 

In the case of the Philistines and the Israelites, they are enemies who showed up often on the field of combat to do battle. For them, the contest was always about one thing: which people would serve the other.  

This got me thinking about the battle that is taking place in each of our lives to decide who we will serve.  On the one side is God and His army, on the other is Satan and his legions, and WE are standing in the valley in between.  How do we know which side to choose?  Choosing a side is not easy and can have severe consequences, but not choosing at all is not option.  We have to choose in order to progress.   

The Lord gives us some great lessons in this chapter to help us with our choices.  The first lesson is to be aware of the tactics used on both sides.

Tactics
Fear
In the story of David the enemy is a Philistine soldier named Goliath.  It is obvious why the Philistines would send him, this guy is intimidating.  He is like a giant among the people; tall, bulky, covered in armor, and his weapons are larger than anything the Israelites carry (vv 4-7).  Imagine this 10 foot tall dude stepping down the mountain across the Valley of Elah just as the sun began to climb high against the Palestinian sky. This man came down the eastern face of a mountain and as the sun hit that brass, he must have looked like some kind of solid gold monster. No wonder he struck fear into the hearts of God's people!

Have you ever had to battle a giant in your life?  Satan is the master of putting things in our lives that fill us with fear and intimidation.  He uses fear to push us in a certain direction or to keep us from going in a direction. Sometimes we need to ask ourselves, "What is the source behind my decision?"  If fear is one of the options, then you might want to stop and think about who is feeding the fear.      

When I have found myself wrapped in fear I think of this quote:

"Fear cannot take what you do not give it."  ~Christopher Coan

The Lord reminds us many times in the scriptures to fear not (too many for me to list them all). It is clear that fear comes from the wrong side.

Taunting
It isn't enough that Goliath is physically intimidating, he also wants to mentally mess with the Israelites.  He taunts them with their lack of manliness, he questions their loyalty to Saul, and he brings up their future of servitude (vv 8-10).

This brings up all kinds of childhood memories of being called a chicken, or being told that I couldn't do something because I was a girl (I hated that one), or being called all kinds of mean names until I cracked.  Satan knows the buttons to push to embarrass us or shame us into taking an action that we wouldn't normally do.  This is one of his favorite ways to ensnare us, because he knows that we care what other people think.  On the other hand, God says He expects us to be different, to be peculiar. 

Taking an action because we are concerned or offended by what others say is stepping right into his trap.  Definitely, the wrong side to be on.

I have found myself choosing the wrong side sometimes.  I have given into my fears and I have definitely let the taunting of others get to me.  Those were not the greatest of times in my life, but they weren't wasted moments.  The emotions that come from choosing the wrong side like embarrassment, shame, or guilt sit with you.  They are uncomfortable and they make you think.  They have turned out to be some of the most powerful teaching moments in my life.  They have also given me the experience I need to see through these tactics and to avoid making the same mistakes.  I have learned from being on the wrong side, how important it is to be on the right side!