1 Samuel 17:31-40
David presents himself before Saul and informs him of his intention. "Thou art not able," Saul replies at first. However, he is impressed by the determination and firm confidence of the young man and declares himself ready to help him. He produces his armour to lend to David. But it only hampers David so that he cannot move and he cannot use it. No, his weapons will be the humble tools of the shepherd. Without value in men’s eyes, they will show the power of the LORD more clearly than the armour would.
Saul’s armour speaks to us of all the support and precaution human wisdom uses; faith sees this only as an impediment!
Trained by God in secret for the service for which he was destined (as have so many of the Lord’s servants and Jesus Himself at Nazareth), David now appears in public ready for the fight. And in order to demonstrate the LORD’s power, he tells of an experience in this "wilderness school". He had killed a lion and a bear to deliver a sheep, without anyone seeing it. We can think of another Shepherd, giving His life for His sheep, delivering them from the cruel adversary (John 10:11; John 17:12 and John 18:8). What immense value just one lamb has to the heart of this good Shepherd!