The story of David, the shepherd lad, who subdued the giant, Goliath, is an incident of courage almost unparalleled in Bible history. Never for a moment did this gallant youth of Israel hesitate to meet the dreaded giant of Gath, because he knew that the "battle" was not his, but the "Lord's" (I Sam. 17:47). David knew on whose side he was fighting and was sure of the outcome; as a result he was victorious. Is it any wonder that he was subsequently chosen ruler in Israel?
Humanity is challenged by Goliaths in every age. What is the Goliath we are reluctant to face today? Is it a chronic illness that material medicine claims is incurable? Or is it a harmful trait of character we believe we have inherited? Or is it perhaps something of a moral nature, which mortal mind says we cannot resist? Whatever form the Goliath of our particular experience assumes, we can take heart and go forward to meet the giant of material sense and challenge it in David's words (verse 45), "Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel." Then we need never fear the outcome.
If we are confronted with a problem so gigantic that it seems to obscure our vision of the Christ, Truth, then we should ask ourselves, "Am I willing to face this Goliath, which is hindering my progress Spiritward, or am I satisfied merely to hide behind the cloak of Christian Science and use it as a way of escape?" If we are honest, we shall face the error with the courage of a David and with the armor of Truth and Love and be sure of success.
Our revered Leader, Mrs. Eddy, assures us in these comforting words in Science and Health (p. 571): "Know thyself, and God will supply the wisdom and the occasion for a victory over evil." And in "Miscellaneous Writings," she states (p. 284): "Evil is not something to fear and flee before, or that becomes more real when it is grappled with. Evil let alone grows more real, aggressive, and enlarges its claims; but, met with Science, it can and will be mastered by Science."
The primary step in meeting a difficulty is so to know ourselves that evil is cast out, and we find our true selfhood in God's image. The knowledge of true selfhood is the sword of Spirit, with which we can meet and master every Goliath. Christian Science teaches that man is a spiritual idea, the reflection of Mind. He is, therefore, not subject to the whims of carnality but is subordinate to his creator, who gives man dominion over all the earth.
Regardless of what appearance a claim may assume on the surface, the basic difficulty is moral and mental. That is, inharmony of any kind is the result of wrong thinking; and it is in thought that the error needs to be corrected. Avoiding an issue or compromising with error is cowardice. Christian Scientists should strive for the seamless garment of righteousness rather than accept mortal mind's shabby cloaks of deceit, selfishness, fear, and dishonesty. Through the teachings of Science, we learn to face life's challenges with the assurance that if we are faithful, victory will be on our side.
Our great Master, Christ Jesus, constantly challenged the enemies of his day. He said to error (John 8:44): "Ye are of ... the devil.... He is a liar, and the father of it."
The Scriptures abound in accounts of courage and fortitude expressed by God-inspired men and women. In our own time we have only to turn to the beginnings of Christian Science, when our courageous Leader stood alone, facing the onslaughts of the enemies to her newfound religion. Armed with faith and courage, she conquered every foe. Her fortitude in the face of what appeared as insurmountable obstacles should be an inspiration to all her followers.
A Christian Scientist had inadvertently accepted the suggestion of inability to perform certain physical activities because of a condition of weakness which she believed to be inherited from her mother. Although the Scientist knew deep in her heart that fundamentally the error was simply a lack of initiative on her part to cope with the problem, she resigned herself to accepting this mesmeric suggestion as something that she must bear as her cross. She tried to justify this self-deception with an attitude of "Oh, well, we can't all be Amazons!" and to cover this weakness under the cloak of a false sense of individuality.
This stand continued for several years until the time came when she found herself unable to do even the simplest household chores without suffering from fatigue and exhaustion. Turning to a Christian Science practitioner for help, she was encouraged to do more consecrated study of Science. In this study many errors of thought were uncovered. The student made a sincere effort to overcome them, striving earnestly to express more love, patience, gratitude, and joy in her daily contact with others.
One day the word "dishonesty" kept recurring in her thought until it stood out more pointedly than any other word. It finally dawned on her that she must endeavor to be more honest with herself and to face up to the Goliath that had plagued her for so long. These words from Science and Health were a shining light (p. 323): "When the sick or the sinning awake to realize their need of what they have not, they will be receptive of divine Science, which gravitates towards Soul and away from material sense, removes thought from the body, and elevates even mortal mind to the contemplation of something better than disease or sin."
The words "have not" stood out like a beacon. For the first time she could see clearly what her real need was. Then and there, she determined to claim her heritage of moral courage and spiritual strength, bestowed upon her by her heavenly Father, divine Love, and to resist all that is unlike His harmonious creation.
This determination was a great source of strength to her, and it broke the mesmerism. The realization that God, Spirit, was her only true parent, from whom she inherited only good, came to her with renewed conviction. And she determined never again to accept anything that did not actually belong to her as an idea of God.
Today this Scientist is grateful for every opportunity to accept a challenge to prove her God-given ability to perform whatever she needs to do, bearing in mind the words of the Apostle Paul (Phil. 4:13), "I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me."
