And yet, and yet…

In 2 Samuel 21:15-22, we read about King David’s last expeditions against the giants at Gath. The CSB version calls them “descendants from the giant of Gath.” It is likely that these four giants described in the passage are in the lineage of Goliath.

I had never considered it before, but Goliath was not the last giant that David would fight. In fact, in 2 Samuel 21 it says that in the fighting David became exhausted and the giant in that battle (Ishbi-benob…there’s a name) was about to kill him with an 8 pound spear.

This struck me. The man who had killed Goliath when he was a boy now was laid out at the feet of another giant years later, saved at the last second by one of his generals.

And beyond that, the response of David’s general who saved him (Abishai) is thought-provoking: “You must never again go out with us to battle. You must not extinguish the lamp of Israel.” How odd that the leader and savior of Israel is told to hang back.

There are plenty of applications embedded in this passage like diligence in defeating all the problems and the importance of delegation. But for today, the imperative of equipping sticks out to me.

We often equate success in life and in ministry to what we personally are able to do. We look at the work of our hands and the faithfulness God has shown us in the past and think that the calling will always be the same. But here’s the strange thing about calling: it changes over time.

Now we may have a greater calling that overarches the works of our life, but the specific arenas of calling and context of calling often change. For me this shift happened when I moved from Youth Ministry to Executive Pastor. This shift happens for many. And this is not just a case for those in pastoral ministry. In your working career and in your volunteer ministry career, many times your context of calling will change.

And that change is OK. In fact, it’s vital.

Many leaders that stay in the trenches too long become collateral damage. It’s amazing how many successful leaders fail to let go of their successes, only to be dragged down as a result of corrupting sin that snuck in.

God knows our weakness and tendency to sin and pride, and that’s why calling change is vital. If we become so beholden to “our calling” and the context that we like it in, it can become an idol for self-worship. We cease to look at the privilege of being called alongside the Lord in reaching the lost, and start to protect “our calling.” It’s no wonder that 1 Corinthians 10:12 reminds us, “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” Ironically, the successes of our life are more likely to bring us down rather than our weaknesses.

So what’s the answer to this? The brilliance of God’s plan is that as we grow in our calling and experience successes, we have the privilege of sharing those victories with others. We can equip and empower those behind us on the path to work with the Lord for the Kingdom. We can support them when they fail, and we can celebrate with them when they succeed. And here’s the beauty: every win that someone you equip experiences is a joy that you can take! We can rejoice that the Lord is using us through others to multiply his reach for the Kingdom.

While David’s first giant called him onto the field of battle, his last giant called him to equip those coming. And ironically, the last one was a lot closer to killing him. In our lives, we have to consider: how am I empowering and equipping those behind me on the path to succeed? What keeps me from sharing the battles I face? Why should I be afraid of taking a looser hand on “my calling” and giving the opportunity to succeed to others?

Even Jesus empowered his disciples to work wonders, and stated that those who would come behind would greater things than him by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Are you on your first giant? Or are you on your last giant? Who is empowering you in their calling? Who are you equipping in your calling?

Let’s not let the lamp be extinguished by our pride.

Signs and wonders, y’all.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 3 John 4