How many smooth stones did David take from the stream before facing Goliath?

The Answer

David chose five smooth stones from the stream and put them in his shepherd's bag before approaching Goliath. He declined Saul's armor, trusting instead in the sling he knew and the God he served. In the end, a single stone brought the giant down.

David's confidence was not manufactured on the battlefield. He told Saul about lions and bears — quiet victories won in the pasture with no audience. The stream stones were new, but the trust was old.

That is how courage usually works. It is compounded in private long before it is spent in public. The faithfulness no one sees becomes the faith everyone sees.

Whatever giant stands in front of you, look back before you look up: where has God already been faithful? Rehearse those lions and bears. Then step into the valley with what you know, not what you fear.