I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t want to go up against the likes of John Cena.  And that is probably a very wise choice on my part.  In fact, I think it is downright prudent.  But I would hope I would stand up to Cena or anyone else if it came to the matter of them hurting a loved one. 

One day when I was a young boy I was out shooting hoops in my driveway when a neighborhood bully at least twice my age came walking by our house.  Of course, such people can’t just walk by minding their own business.  Nope!  They have to say or do something rude to elicit a response (think Christmas Story).  And this occasion was no exception.  For no apparent reason, a core characteristic of a bully, Dave the Bully, called my mom a battleaxe.  I had no idea what that meant, but I knew it wasn’t good.  Knowing my mother was in the kitchen window and undoubtedly overheard the comment, I threw the basketball down in anger and ran at his guy with full force yelling, “You can’t say that about my mom” the whole way.  I’d like to say I slew the giant, but when I hit his legs he looked down at me and slightly laughed under his smile.  He gave me the I-appreciate-your-spunk-kid look, pried me off his legs and went on his way.  In my mind I had stood up to the bully, made my point, and won the victory.  Incidentally, he always said hi to me after that…no more “your mom” jokes.

What was the point of that anecdote?  When the reputation of a loved one is attacked, we often go into attack mode.  This was the same with a young boy named David in the Bible story appropriately called “David and Goliath” (1 Samuel 17).  What is sad is that none of the army of men within earshot of Goliath’s defaming of their God seemed to care.  There is no doubt there pride was hurt.  I’m certain they were quietly upset at themselves for not taking the stand, but that didn’t propel them to action.  Only one man took action—David!  He was young, militarily inexperienced (much like me when I went up against Dave the Bully), and wasn’t expected to do anything about Goliath’s taunts.  But when God’s reputation was on the line, David stood against him.

The secret to David’s “strength” was not his ability.  David was not more ably skilled than those in Israel’s army.  The secret wasn’t his quick thinking strategies.  David did not possess more strategic thinking than the leaders of Israel’s military.  The secret of David’s strength, his willingness to stand against the giant, was his passion for God.  While all the other men were willing to hear their God mocked, David was not.  So for God’s sake, God’s reputation on earth, David employed the fighting tactics he knew—a slingshot and stones.  And with what must have appeared to be childhood toys to Goliath (and maybe even David’s allies), David toppled Goliath.

The story is not about David’s mad skill with a slingshot.  It is not about David being unaware of the danger he faced.  It is not about David defeating a bear and a lion prior to this giant encounter.  It is about David being passionate about his God.  David’s passion for God led him to stand up in the group of men and declare not “I’m the man” but “You’re not going to smear God’s reputation and get away with it.”  There was no pride in David for his manhood.  There was pride for his God. 

How about us?  Do I stand up for God’s reputation like I did for my mother’s?  Or do I let people around me mock God without saying a word?  Can my passion for God be measured by my interaction (yes, not with a slingshot but with boldness, clarity and grace) with people who dis my Lord?  Or can’t my passion be measured?  Do I go silent when God’s name comes up in a negative light in a conversation?