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Pentecost 3, Proper 7 Lesson: 1 Samuel 17:1a, 4-11, 19-23, 32-49
June 21, 2009 Psalm 9:9-20
The Rev. Raymond Gotko Epistle: 2 Corinthians 6:1-13
St. James’ Church, Marietta Holy Gospel: Mark 4:35-41
Happy Father’s Day. Traditionally, the role of us father is to protect the family, keep it safe. According to an unknown internet source, forwarded to me, this is how to stay safe in the world today. Fathers, take note. “1. Avoid riding in automobiles because they are responsible for 20% of all fatal accidents. 2. Do not stay home because 17% of all accidents occur in the home. (37%) 3. Avoid walking on streets or sidewalks because 14% of all accidents occur to pedestrians. (51%) 4. Avoid traveling by air, rail, or water because 16% of all accidents involve these forms of transportation. 67%) 5. Of the remaining 33%, 32% of all deaths occur in hospitals. So, above all else, avoid hospitals. (99%) But, you will be pleased to learn that only .001% of all deaths occur in worship services in church, and these are usually related to previous physical disorders. Therefore, logic tells us that the safest place for you to be at any given point in time is at church! And Bible study is safe, too. The percentage of deaths during Bible study is even less than .001%. So, attend church, and read your Bible (as often as possible). It could save your life.” (Internet humor from Walter Ligon)
Following these statistics, if Goliath had stayed in church reading his bible, he would have been saved from the sling of David. But, Goliath was a giant, over nine feet tall, wore 126 pounds of armor, carried a spear that weighed more than seventeen pounds, and thought himself invincible. The story is that he stood in the valley of Elah, about 20 miles southwest of Jerusalem, between the army of the Philistines and the army of Israel. Ordinary men dressed up for battle gathered on opposing hillsides. The Philistine army trusted in Goliath, the army of Israel did not trust in much of anything; they were quivering in their sandals. Being dressed up like a soldier is one thing, actually going into battle is quite another. Israel had been victorious over the Philistines before, but Goliath was a professional soldier; he stood head and shoulders above everyone else and talked tough like a TV wrestler. It looked like Israel was up against something greater than they. Lots of words, no action; it was a standoff.
Men have some genetic flaws. Mothers and wives know this, and young girls find out soon enough. Men never grow up, well, maybe sometime in their thirties they start to mature, but boys will be boys for a life-time. There the boys were, all dressed up to be macho heroes, and all were looking for someone else to actually step up, take the risk, and fight for them. The Philistines had Goliath; Israel had no one. The word going around among the Israeli troops was, “the king will give great wealth to the man who kills [Goliath]. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his father's family from taxes in Israel." Money, sex, and power usually attract men to do most anything. But, no one was stepping up.
Three bothers were among the troops, sons of Jesse, who lived nearby. Their youngest brother was David, a teenager, who was at home looking after the sheep. David was also a musician. Every now and then, King Saul called and David took up his harp, (his guitar), and went to the King’s house to play music for King Saul to sooth Saul’s troubled mind. (Saul was depressed.) Knowing that his boys would be hungry, Jesse, David’s father, packed a lunch for the three brothers and sent David to deliver it.
David, the shepherd boy, the mild mannered musician, the lunch delivery boy, shows up in the army camp, not dressed up for war, unarmed, and clearly out of his place. David heard of the reward for slaying Goliath. This was David’s chance, being a male he could not resist the call of money, sex, and power. On top of that, he was self-confident. He had taken on wild beasts all by himself before; the Philistine, Goliath, is just another wild beast. Saul, who knows David, calls him near. David offers to stand for Israel against Goliath: a five foot something teenager against an experienced warrior nine feet tall. Saul must have been desperate to do something. So he does something. When in doubt do something, it’s male genetic disease. Besides, if Saul does nothing he will loose face with his army. Losing face with one’s subordinates is a mortal sin for men. Saul may have thought, “he’s only a shepherd, it was his idea, not mine, it’s his fault if he looses, not mine. I have nothing to lose. Send the boy out.”
So David is sent out to face Goliath. Saul dresses David appropriately; you have to dress right to fight right, don’t you. The warrior’s armor is confining. David rejects it and puts it aside. He will do as he has always done when faced with a fight. David uses his wits, his own physical resources— excellent hand-eye coordination—and the tools at hand—his sling and a smooth river rock—to their best advantage. David does something else. (And this is the main point of the story.) David has a deep faith that GOD is on his side, that this battle is a righteous battle, and that the GOD of Israel will stand with him, “so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not save by sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’S and he will give [Goliath and the Philistines into Israel’s hands].”
We know the rest of the story. Headline, “Israeli shepherd boy slays giant Philistine. Tune in tomorrow at nine for an up-close-and-personal interview with the shepherd boy.”
All of us fathers know the story well, and at some point in our lives imagine that we could be giant killers to protect the family, the nation, and the world from giant evil “Philistines.” Then we get sucked in by the world’s promise of wealth, sex, and power, and there we are on the “battlefield” with a giant staring us in the face, prodding us to do something stupid, prodding us to see life as combat, us against them.
Sometimes that image of life is true. Unfriendly giants are out there baiting us to do the stupid thing that will be to their advantage, fight with their rules. David gives us another way. Have faith, trust in God, and creatively use our experience and personal resources to our best advantage.
The Gospel of Jesus and his disciples in a boat during a storm provides us with another approach to the difficulties of life. Life is not a battle. Life is a journey in a small boat with friends and family. Storms on the journey just are, no evil intent, life has storms, and we are afraid and haven’t a clue as to what to do. The male approach is to do something, fight it out, put on some armor and go at it, even if it means waving swords at the wind. Jesus offers us a simpler solution. When the storm comes, sit tight, recognize what is there, and say, “peace, be still.” All will be well.
There is the quandary for fathers. When difficulties arise at home or at work, the question comes, is this a battle or just a storm? If it is a battle, will I fight on their terms or mine? If it is just a storm, where are the words to “peace, be still?” In both situations, we know that the power and wisdom of GOD is always at our side; we only need to look and listen.
The humorous statistics at the outset tell us that most situations in life have risk. The least risk comes when we are connecting with the holy other, GOD, the Christ, at church and in studying Holy Scripture. There is wisdom in our tradition for us to use in battles and in storms. Over time, we learn to hear what the LORD is saying.
This Father’s Day, “peace, be still.”
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