Many know of David verse Goliath, but what about the psychology behind David. Why did he voluntarily confront Goliath to begin with?
First, a short background on David and respective ancestry. The youngest of eight brothers, David was a thoughtful, passionate, and poetic young man, talented in playing the harp. He was an expert shepherd, with sensational loyalty to his flock, proven by fighting off their predators at times. David’s upbringing was one of generosity and respect for the holy. More than anything else was David’s reverence to G-d.
David is ten generations removed from Judah, who represents leadership in Judaism. Amongst the qualities that come with Jewish leadership, selflessness is most important. This is our first key towards unraveling the thought-process behind David confronting Goliath.
Let’s set the stage for this storied confrontation. The larger and well-armed Philistines were separated from King Saul’s Jewish Army by a hill. Dawned with the most impressive armor of the time and standing over ten feet tall, Goliath would crest the hill and challenge any Jew to a duel.
While three of David’s older brothers were amongst those in ranks, David’s father saw his youngest son, now a teenager, best fit remaining home to help with the sheep. One day David’s father sent him off to aid his brothers with supplies. David heard about this monster, Goliath, taunting his Jewish brethren and that angered him. Once there, he witnessed first-hand Goliath mocking them, “If your G-d is a man of war, then let him come and do battle with me!”. While that prompted laughter from the Philistines, David’s fury was exacerbated as he questioned - - who would defend G-d’s holy name and the pride of his people?
David proclaimed he would take on Goliath. David is then summoned by King Saul, who offers his armor and sword, but David graciously passes. With his shepherd’s staff, sling, and five smoothed pebbles, he stepped off with the belief that G-d would guide him…
Though David overheard men of King Saul’s Army speaking of riches forthcoming to whomever might defeat Goliath, these were not his motivations. Rather, his mental calculus eclipsed a tipping point because it struck a nerve for that which he loved most, G-d.
There was no care of riches or ego. It had nothing to do with David. It was a selfless act for others, inspiring needed faith in King Saul’s discouraged Jewish Army. He volunteered himself because of a visceral calling in his gut, to serve a purpose.
What’s your purpose?
Purpose animates me.
People confuse pursuit of purpose with seeking a challenge. While they look similar from the outside, their genesis is quite different. Let me explain.
As a teenager with his driver’s license, I enjoyed heading out with my friends to bask in a new level of independence. It was great. Just think how much fun college will be?! - - not just a new level, a new stratosphere! So why work to gain admittance to a military service academy where one cedes most of their independence? Because I felt a calling to serve the country, to pay back the beautiful and free life it had given me. Because purpose trumps fun.
As a midshipman at the Naval Academy, we had summer training to learn about the different jobs in the Navy. I aspired to be a Navy SEAL, so I attended a three-week taste of SEAL training at Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL School, or BUD/s. It was brutal, the most physical pain I had endured in my life… up to that point. Afterwards, I vowed never to return. As I got further away from that training, I focused more on the job I was best suited for. It had nothing to do with BUD/s, and everything to do with a belief in a purpose I should be used for. SEAL Training was simply a long and painful means to a purposeful end.
With over 14 years of active duty and the sitting Executive Officer at a SEAL Team, it’s not the ideal time to walk away. Six years from a pension, a track record of advancement with opportunity to continue, why would one professionally start over? Life comes at you fast and plans don’t always hold up; man plans, G-d laughs. My daughter was four, son was two, wife was exhausted, we discussed having a third child, and I was stressed about providing my family more stability and predictability. Plenty of financial math was not on my side. However, as with previous life decisions, the animating driver was not based on my natural instinct to find security, I based it on my purpose. At that time, my purpose was a better family lifestyle. While recognizing a life milestone is easy, changing the context of our environment, with all its respective momentum - - is hard.
Landing solid corporate opportunity upon leaving the Navy felt great. Good salary with benefits, the suburban house, happy kids, happy wife - happy life, right? Once the corporate newcomer shine wore off, I realized something important was missing. While I had delivered for my family, I still had more to give. George Bernard Shaw wrote, “This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose… my life belongs to the whole community, and as long as I live it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can”. This implies we have something to give. If given space to creatively develop, I believed I could provide greater value to others then what I gave in my ‘8-to-5’ corporate roles. For me to live a purpose driven life, I had to step out from under the corporate blanket and trail-blaze my own path. A family of five now, on single income makes this decision especially hard as I’m pitted against a pressing no-fail obligation to provide. Ultimately what prompted me to act was the belief that I am here to serve a purpose, along with my faith to reinforce that belief.
While our mind can be divine, it must deal with the animal inside us - - our human nature. My human nature wants a life that is not my purpose, but I want to be used for a purpose!
Act on your purpose and journey greatly. Deciding to act on your purpose is not easy. It takes courage.
Authored By: Adam Weiner
