“God can use anyone to do big things, regardless of age, gender, race, importance, popularity, or notoriety.”

David was just a shepherd boy when God used him to defeat the mighty giant, Goliath. Armed with only a sling and some stones, David did the unthinkable. He dueled and slew Goliath, the most feared man in the world at the time. This spectacular performance would catapult David from zero importance to super hero. Thereby giving credence to the general argument that God can use anyone to do great things. Who would have thought a small axe like David could have fallen such a big tree like Goliath.

According to 1 Samuel 17,

The Philistine army had gathered for war against Israel. The two armies lined up across from each other. A Philistine giant named Goliath, measuring over nine feet tall and wearing full armor came out each day for forty days, taunting and daring the Israelite to fight. But Saul, the King of Israel, and the army were too terrified of this giant to make a move.

One day David’s father, Jesse, sent him to the battle lines to see how his brothers were doing. David was the youngest of eight sons and probably just a young teenager at the time. While there, David heard Goliath shouting his daily rants and he saw the great fear stirred within the men of Israel. David responded, “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of God?”

So David volunteered to fight Goliath. It took some persuasion, but King Saul finally agreed to let David fight against the giant. Dressed in his simple tunic, carrying his shepherd’s staff, slingshot and a pouch full of stones, David approached Goliath. The giant cursed at him, hurling threats and insults.

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied … today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air … and the world will know that there is a God in Israel … it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”

As Goliath moved in for the kill, David reached into his bag and slung one of his stones at Goliath’s head. Finding a hole in the armor, the stone sank into the giant’s forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. David then took Goliath’s sword, killed him and then cut off his head. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. So the Israelites pursued, chasing and killing them and plundering their camp.