When David arrived at the battlefield with supplies not everyone was excited to see him or to hear him ask questions about fighting the giant. David’s oldest brother, Eliab, became angry at David and accused him of having wrong motives, telling David that he was only a shepherd boy, and a wicked and conceited one at that. Clearly, Eliab was harboring some offense in his heart toward David one being overlooked as the future King of Israel. In that day, being the eldest male child was a position of great significance. It came with responsibility and authority within the family.
Not only did David receive harsh criticism from his brother, but he also received negative and critical feedback from King Saul. When David presented his idea to the king, Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth” (1 Sam. 17:33). Yet David felt so confident in God’s calling that even the king’s criticism seems to have had little impact on him. For David, showing up to face Goliath involved ignoring the criticism and questioning of his brothers and King Saul and refusing to give in to the fears that often accompany criticism from others. Continue reading “Stay focussed – ignore the destructive critics”
