Article December 1, 1917 Issue

"There is a God in Israel"

MARY E. TRUITT

Many beautiful and inspiring lessons have been learned from the story of David the shepherd boy. Every child who has heard it has been filled with wonder that this slight youth, with only his sling as a weapon, could kill the much feared giant Goliath; but the real beauty of the story is lost if the child does not learn that the weapon which really prevailed against the enemy was not the sling, but David's unwavering faith in God's omnipotence.

Saul and all his army had not found one man who dared to meet the giant in combat, and David was aroused by the fact that the armies of the living God had been defied. When Saul heard of David's desire to go out against Goliath, he thought it folly for one so young and untried in battle to attempt to vanquish an enemy who was feared by the entire army. Then David told Saul how when tending his sheep he had encounters with lions and bears, and in telling how he had slain them he took to himself none of the credit, for David knew wherein lay his strength. He proved this when he said, "The Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine." When at last David had secured Saul's consent and had gone forth to meet the Philistine, his words to Goliath showed how surely he had gotten self out of the way. His one thought in slaying the giant was not for personal glory, but to prove God's allness; or, as he himself expressed it, "that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel."

On page 268 of Science and Health Mrs. Eddy says, "In this revolutionary period, like the shepherd-boy with his sling, women goes forth to battle with Goliath." The repetition of this never old story in the light of Christian Science brought comfort to my small daughter when recently she called upon me in the night for help. I was sure the trouble had been overcome, and I wished to show her that she was fearing an unreal enemy, so I began telling her the story of David and Goliath. Soon she was quieted and very much interested in the story. At its completion I asked her if she supposed that the army of Saul and all the Israelites still feared Goliath after he had been slain, and she answered that of course they would not, for Goliath was dead. She then saw that her own enemy had been destroyed through the power of Truth, and that she could no longer fear it, for we had proven it was no part of God's image and likeness.

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