~ written by Connie Dunmyer
I’m sure you’ve heard this Anecdote before:
A lawyer was cross-examining a witness, saying "Have you stopped beating your wife yet?" The witness hesitated. If he answered "yes," he admitted he used to beat her. If he answered "no," he admitted he still did. Finally he said, "I'm not answering your question until I challenge your assumption."
The Point: Some questions are traps because they force you to accept a false narrative before you even speak.
An Aesop’s Fable: A fox invited a stork to dinner and served soup in a shallow dish. The fox easily lapped it up, but the stork couldn't eat with her long beak. Later the stork invited the fox to dinner and served food in a tall narrow jar. The stork ate well; the fox went hungry.
The Point: Whoever designs the container often determines the outcome. Before accepting someone's argument, determine if they've designed the "dish" so only their side can succeed.
We’ve all heard the story of David and Goliath, 1 Samuel 17. We know that David’s strong faith in God, led him to downing Goliath with a single smooth stone. “And the rest is history” as they say.
But recently, when I was hearing this story for maybe the 500th time, something else occurred to me:
“Why did King Saul and the Israelites even allow the enemy to
- set the conditions,
- define the narrative,
- design the container,
- create the argument.”
Each army set up on hills facing each other with a valley in between. Goliath, (a powerful looking foe to be sure at 9 feet 9 inches), creates the conditions… the narrative… the argument. Why in heaven’s name did the Israelites not simply say “screw that” and overrun the Philistines like they would have done any other time in history. Why did they even consider these conditions? This is NOT their first rodeo, after all.
11 On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. … 24 Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear.
So why?
FEAR!
Well, I guess I cannot judge them too harshly. I have my own “eye-planks” to deal with. Goliath was their boisterous enemy. And fear is a powerful motivator.
42 He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy… 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!”
Satan is my boisterous Enemy. He will come at me and bellow loudly...
- You can’t do that. You’re not strong enough.
- That’s no good. You really messed that up.
- What are you gonna do about it? Do you think you have any power over me?
- Hopeless. You’re completely hopeless.
- What happens if your prayer doesn't work? God has surely let you down.
- Who do you think you are anyway? You’re a nobody.
And in my dismay, I flee from God’s promises, terrified!!
BUT David… ah young David... did not even slightly pay attention to that which terrified the King of Israel. He heard the same words, the same cursings. But instead of fear, he relied on his previous interactions with God.
37 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”
40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd’s bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.
45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied… 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.”
48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him.
What are my giants? What are my fears?
Am I going to continue to cry, shake, cower and hide?
Am I going to allow the devil to define my emotions… create the narrative… call out curses against me in the night?
Or…
Will I gather my “stones”... Jesus, the Rock on which I stand?
Will I run toward the battle – KNOWING Whose I am and Who is with me?
Will I come against the enemy in the Name of the Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come?
Will I use my verbal "slingshot" to speak, even shout, the Promises of God’s Word – words that cannot be broken, cannot lie, cannot be thwarted or destroyed?
And ultimately, in the Power of Jesus, will I cut off the head of this snake, Satan, destroying his power over me?
Is my slingshot ready? It’s time to practice. It’s time to battle. It really is up to me. Because Jesus is the same … the same yesterday, today and forevermore! Hebrews 13:8.
Find More "Yield" Articles | Get Future "Yield" Delivered to Your Inbox
© 2026: Connie F. Dunmyer, All Rights Reserved.