And David said, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you!” 1 Samuel 17:37

Your perspective affects your performance. Such a factor is seen in the confrontation of David with the Philistine giant, Goliath.

From the perspective of the Philistines, their size instilled great confidence. Goliath was a formidable foe. Goliath was about 9 feet tall wearing armor that weighed about 125 pounds. With shield and spear, Goliath was an enemy that seemed impossible to defeat. From the perspective of the Philistines, Goliath guaranteed victory by his size, strength and armament.

From the perspective of the Israelites, Goliath instilled great fear in their souls. What they saw and heard made them feel defeated without a battle being fought. The sight of the giant taunting them and daring them to come out only made them cower more. The Israelites were focused on circumstances beyond their control. For that reason the Israelites were “dismayed.” Dismayed is a Hebrew word that means “shattered with fear.” Their perspective had them already defeated.

From the perspective of David, Goliath was defying God. While David seemed too young to fight, he was old enough to believe that God was part of every equation to solve life’s problems. He assumed God cared. He assumed God was involved. Therefore, David saw Goliath, not confronting the Israelites, but confronting God, Himself.

Every generation experiences conflict. Conflict is a result of the forces of God against the forces of evil. Because conflict occurs, each person must decide where they stand in the conflict. With his perspective of God, David decides to stand with God. He volunteers to face the giant.

In facing the giant, his perspective is filtered by several factors. First, David desires to know the reward of standing for God. In verse 26, David is thinking beyond the conflict to the reward. Strangely, David is not seeking the reward as much as seeking the removal of the reproach to the Almighty. For David, the reward is worth taking a stand.

Second, David feels confident with experience. In verse 36, David recounts other conflicts in which he prevailed. They may not have been as large as the current challenge. But they were significant enough to show God’s deliverance comes to the courageous.

Third, David desires to use tested techniques instead of something else. In verse 39, David rejects all of King Saul’s armor for five smooth stones. What worked in the past, works in the present.

When they met, David spoke to Goliath, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts. . . .” “This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand. . . .” If you remember David won.

Check your perspective on the issues of today. The correct perspective may not be the most popular opinion. You may feel like you stand alone. But those who stand with the Lord will see a victory that the perspective of fear never realizes. Trust your experience with God and be available to represent Him today. The giants will fall!

Dr. John Temple is chaplain of the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office. From the Shepherd’s Heart is published Fridays in The Meridian Star.