Devout Christians Quiz (well, just 1 question)

I agree with you God was at work with all of those things you mentioned (Jesse sending him, etc). Along those lines, it would be easy to also believe God was at work when he had Saul offer the reward in the way he did and that God was also at work by having David respond positively to the chance of being rich, marrying a princess and avoiding taxes. It wouldn't be a stretch to suggest God was showing us the best way to get things done and that it is normal & healthy for man to be motivated by reward.

By no means am I trying to remove God or his influence from the equation.

I see it based on two things:

First, David's reaction when he first heard & saw Goliath (he ran) compared to his reaction to when he heard about the reward ("who is this uncircumcised Philistine...").

Second, after he heard what the reward was, David asked twice more "What is the reward for killing Goliath?". There was something in that combination of wealth, marrying a princess and being tax exempt that pressed the go button for David (and didn't for any soldier). The right reward for the right person resulted in motivation to move forward and achieve a goal.

I think we can all think of experiences in our life where the outcome of something was doubtful to an outsider, but the reward of succeeding was enough for us to attempt it. We may not have God's assurance of an outcome, but we did have belief of the possibility of succeeding.

For me, the most simple example of this was asking my now wife out on a date for the first time. I was a junior in high school, she had already graduated, she was outgoing while I was shy, she was way out of my league looks wise, heck Vegas wouldn't have even posted the odds on her saying yes to a date with me, it was that much of a longshot. However, for me, the potential reward was so motivating that I risked being rejected, being laughed at, all the things teenage boys fear the most. I believed that she might say yes, but there were no assurances from God. I most likely prayed for a yes as well as to be given the strength of not fainting in the middle of talking to her, but at no point did I believe it was a sure thing.

OK. I'll end it with one correction that may seem minor, but may bring us closer to agreement. I don't believe I place too much emphasis on man, rather I place much emphasis on free will. I believe God sets up the chess board, but allows each individual to choose the moves they make.

Turning the page, I’ve been arguing all day with a woman from my church. I think she would likely be called a “liberal “ Christian, but dishes not a liberal like those on TOB.

She has been reading articles by a now-deceased Christian woman who maintained we should be more like Christ and embrace the homosexual, even fight for their acceptance. She told me today that Jesus (and elsewhere In Scripture) instructs us to see to the desires of others ahead of ourselves.

I don’t see that anywhere in Scripture and even gave her examples of how Jesus ignored people’s desires but always gave them what they need. IMO, “love” is Turing another’s needs ahead of my own. I also gave her examples of desires no Christian would support... but she still disagrees.

What do you think?

As per the thread, I picked these passages out:



I think RSM is saying that David was motivated by the money, and that was the point of the story.   I think that Saul's whole army was not ready to risk their life for what was offered, perhaps not even David.   Perhaps David did what he did for his love of God and his people.  

Another lesson, IMO, is that with God all things are possible.   

I would love to hear the Jewish take on this story.  




The above passage kind of reminds me of something.