Giant Killer Series - Giant Sloth
By Professor Colin Smith
Reflective Reading: 1 Samuel 12-14
In 1 Samuel 14, Israel had a big problem. To put it more clearly, Israel had a tall problem, and his name was Saul. It all began in the prior chapter when Saul acted foolishly and did not keep the command of the Lord.
Saul looked at his circumstances and saw that the people were scattering because they were afraid of the advancing Philistine army (1 Samuel 13:5-8). Afraid of losing the people, Saul did not wait for Samuel like he was supposed to. Instead, Saul foolishly disobeyed God's commands and offered a burnt offering to God—something only Samuel was supposed to do. This display of fear and disobedience went directly against Samuel’s command in 1 Samuel 12:20-24 where he warned the people not to "fear" or "turn aside" (disobey God) because "the LORD will not forsake His people." Take a look at the beautiful literary structure of his warning:
A (20) And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;
B (21) And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.
C (22) For the LORD will not forsake his people
X for his great name’s sake:
C’ because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.
B’ (23) Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:
A’ (24) Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you. (25) But if ye shall still do wickedly, ye shall be consumed, both ye and your king.
See the center? In a very poetic warning, God promised to deliver Israel and her King— for “His great names’ sake.” What Saul and the people of Israel failed to remember was that they had already been instructed to trust God (be patient) and He would deliver them from all their enemies.
Saul’s lack of faith led him to directly breaking the commandments of God. Saul’s later rebuke in 1 Samuel 13 stung so deeply that instead of moving forward and acting in faith and obedience, he sat on his hands and refused to take any action. It is this state of fearful apathy that leads us to 1 Samuel 14, where we find a king who is afraid and refuses to act and a people so scared that they are hiding in holes like whack-a-moles.
Adding to the danger of the situation, the Philistines had taken the initiative to weaken the Hebrew army by taxing the blacksmiths of the land (1 Samuel 13:16-23). This tax blocked the Hebrews from the ability to arm themselves with iron weapons and armor against the superior Philistine force. This left only two Israeli men—Saul and his son Jonathan—sufficient armor to fight the Philistines. The position the Hebrews found themselves in is one we, as Christians, find ourselves in all too frequently.
Often the world is better equipped, craftier, and further ahead of us. This tempts us to despair. Just like the children of Israel, we forget that we have the LORD on our side, and that He is all we need to win the battle. How do things end?
Not much better than they began. In 1 Samuel 14:2-3 we find Saul on the outskirts of Gibeah sitting under a pomegranate tree with Ahijah and Ahitub, grandchildren of Phinehas, the corrupt son of the cursed priest Eli! It is worth mentioning that when we let fear and inaction take hold in our lives, we often surround ourselves with people who indulge us and our weaknesses.
In this arena of fear and inaction, Jonathan steps on stage. Unlike his father, Jonathan does not let fear and inaction cripple him because he knows what to do. He repeats the key twice in 1 Samuel 14. In verse 6 Jonathan says:
"Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few."
Then again, in verse 12, he says:
"Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel."
Jonathan knows the remedy for fear and inaction is knowing that the LORD is with you. This call to courage, based upon the LORD being with us, reminds us of Joshua 1:9:
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened and dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
Everyone has their own unique set of struggles. For those who struggle with slothfulness, being lazy often comes hand-in-hand with fear and inaction. Slothfulness can be a recurring giant in our lives, so it is essential to teach our children how to battle and overcome slothfulness while they are still young. The Giant Killer by A.L.O.E. is an excellent resource for teaching kids to overcome their desire to put off complex tasks.
In The Giant Killer, children get to follow the brave Knight Fides as he fights against the evil Giant Sloth. Tired and weary from his long journey, the Knight begs to delay his trip to the giant's castle but is driven forward by a fair maiden named Conscience, a servant of the King who is sent to aid him in his fight.
Inside the castle, the knight must fight off the powerful, energy-draining abilities of the Giant Sloth. With mere seconds left, Fides realizes he must take action and slice through the slumbering giant's enchanted web. This epic battle teaches children the dangerous temptations of laziness and inaction. Inaction can stem from many places. For King Saul, it was fear, and for the Knight Fides, it was the magical temptation of the Giant Sloth. Inaction may come from many sources in our lives, but its treatment is always the same: knowing the LORD is with us wherever we go.
Awareness of God's presence gives us the courage to fight the battles in our lives. God's presence also provides us with strength in the face of adversity. Knowing that God is with us in all things gives us the confidence to confront challenges and to trust that He will be with us as we walk through our struggles. When we are aware of God's presence, we can be sure He will help us persevere and overcome whatever we face.
Thanks for reading,
Colin Smith
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