"Use What You Have"

Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:49 

 "And David put his hand into his bag and took from it a stone and slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead. And the stone sank into his forehead, so that he fell on his face to the ground."

After the Hebrew people had crossed the Jordan and were occupying the Promised Land, they are basically a weak and unequipped nation.  They did not have access to swords and spears as did many of their rival nations.  In fact, scripture tells us in 1 Samuel 13:22 that at one time in Israel, only two Hebrew people had a sword and spear, which were Saul and Jonathan.   Judges 5:8 records that "God chose new leaders when war came to the city gates, but not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel."  They were weak when it came to military equipment but they successfully used what they had.

That is why we see people like Shamgar killing 600 Philistines with an ox goad.  Jael kills Sisera with a tent peg made of wood and a hammer made of stone.  Gideon defeats the Midianites with jars, trumpets, and torches.  Samson kills a lion with his bare hands and destroys the Philistines with the jaw bone of an ass.  Even David kills the giant Goliath with a stone and a sling shot.  The lesson we learn from the Hebrew people of that day is how to use what we have. 

A man is not weak because of what he does not have.  A man is weak because of what he will not use.  Be strong today.  Use what you have.