Daily Devotional

Watchers Are Watching

Be More, Appear Less

21st November 2020

Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 17: 1-53

Focus

“And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.” (1 Samuel 17: 40)

When David left off the armour of Goliath, he went instead for five smooth stones which he got from the brook, and he put same in his shepherd’s bag. As he approached Goliath, it would have been easy to see the stick in his hands, but not the stone. David hid the stones that would eventually hit down Goliath. He kept under cover the very thing that would eventually bring down Goliath. He had more, but he appeared less.

Friend, glean some wisdom: it’s okay to be more, but there is wisdom in appearing less. Don’t announce to your ‘Goliaths’ that you have stones that will bring them down. Don’t break the news of your strategies to everyone that comes your way. Don’t unveil your plans to just anyone you see. Don’t reveal your secrets to the wrong people. Don’t announce your advantage when you are yet to use it. Don’t tell of all that you are.

David had stones that Goliath was not aware of, and in the end, it became a surprise element in his victory over Goliath. He hid his advantage until it worked for him. There is wisdom in hiding your advantage until it works for you. There is wisdom in keeping your strategies under lock and key until they pay off. There is wisdom in hiding your plans until they yield the desired results. There is wisdom in keeping mute until you hit your target.

Instead of focusing on announcing your ‘stones’, focus on getting more stones. Focus on building more capacity. Focus on deepening your walk with God. Focus on becoming more than you are. Focus on gaining more knowledge and wisdom. Focus on gaining the ideas that will make you more relevant in your generation. Focus on becoming better than you currently are. Focus on the preparations that will help you defeat your ‘Goliath’.

Remember, David hid his stones, and used same when he needed to. There was no record of him talking about the stones. Stop talking about your stones. Hide them, and unleash them when you have to.

Declaration

I will hide my stones until they are needed, in Jesus’ name!

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Further Reading

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Memory Verse

“26. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27. And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:” (Matthew 20: 26-27)

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