Main Character: David"Now then, tell my servant David, 'This is what the Lord Almighty says: I took you from the pasture and from following the flock to be ruler over my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men of the earth." 2 Samuel 7:8-9
Scripture: 1 Samuel 16:1-13, 17:1-58; 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 7:1-17
My son, Brady, had barely ever seen a cartoon...that is until I went on bed rest a few weeks before our second son, Benjamin, was born. I was in the hospital, and my husband found himself needing a way to keep Brady entertained while he got ready for work or prepared dinner. It was during this time that Brady was introduced to an unlikely superhero - Perry the Platypus.
Perry stars on the Disney Channel's Phineas and Ferb, a cartoon about two brothers who make their own fun through imagination and creativity. They carry out their extreme adventures while their older sister does anything possible to "bust them." The secondary storyline follows their pet platypus, Perry, as he assumes his secret identity as Agent P and takes on the evil Dr. Doofenshmirtz. Perry is a very unassuming character and is always tasked with the most critical of missions.
Now I know this may seem pretty strange to say, but Agent P shares many of the same characteristics of our main character in today's lesson. David was an unlikely hero, selected at a very young age to be anointed as God's chosen king for the people of Israel. This was the most critical position in the kingdom. He was the youngest of Jesse's sons and grew up tending his father's flocks of sheep. When he volunteered to take on Goliath the Philistine everyone thought he was crazy. David was confident because he knew God was on his side.
The skills David attained young in his life helped him as he took the throne over the kingdom of Israell at the age of thirty. He would move from shepherding sheep to caring for God's people. Now, David did have his faults and stumbled along the way, but overall he trusted God and found success.
Ponder Points:
- Have you ever felt inadequate or out of place? Share your stories and remind your children what traits they possess that could help them feel more comfortable in these types of situations.
- Many people in our society have never grown up around animals and may not understand the concept of a shepherd. Discuss what characteristics make a good shepherd: attentiveness, caring heart, self-confidence, awareness of the animals' needs, etc.
- Why would God select a shepherd like David to lead the Israelites?
- David started making a big difference at a young age. Talk to your children about their dreams and goals. What can you do to support them?
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