The ManicaPost
Success is interesting, it leaves trails. There is one simple recipe for success, study successful people and do what they did and you will be successful. Study failures and avoid doing what they did and you will not be a failure.
History records of successful people, who started from ordinary backgrounds and ended up doing great things.
It is these stories that I am always looking for, and sharing in my articles and books on success. I also want you to develop the habit of reading and studying the lives of successful people either from your community or even beyond. There is something that you can learn.
There are stories that are often called common, which I have really found to be very profound in terms of their lessons. Whenever I read something, I always do it with a bias towards lessons for success. In the following series of articles, I am going to be taking you through a story which I think is really pregnant with life lessons which are crucial for success in life and in business.
The story of David and Goliath is not new to many of us, and the ending is also common, that Goliath was defeated.
This past week I was reflecting on this story of David, and what I noticed is that it has some serious lessons which can inspire all of us in our various life endeavours. There will always be giants in our path to greatness.
One of the things that quickly came to my mind is that if you are not facing challenges, you need to check if you are actually on the right track.
There are even more interesting thoughts from this same story, your Goliath is your key to your breakthrough. The purpose of this series of articles is to take you through on how you can face and conquer your goliath in life, and also share some thoughts on how you can make your life even more successful.
God chooses and uses the unlikely
David was not his father’s favourite. Yes! This can be deciphered from what transpired when Samuel was about to anoint a king to replace Saul, whom God had rejected.
Jesse called his seven sons who were stronger, and possibly even much more handsome than David who had been committed to the wilderness to tend for the flock. Jesse never bothered to call this young boy for the anointing session, because he had already disqualified him.
Here is a point: do you know that it is easy for people to disqualify you, and even to overlook you for opportunities in life simply because of their perception of you? Exactly, this is what happened in this case.
There is something interesting that happens in this case, the ones whom Jesse had chosen could not satisfy God’s definition of Saul’s replacement. What happens next in this story is very interesting. 1 Samuel 16:11-13 captures this story even more interesting, “Then Samuel asked, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats.” “Send for him at once,” Samuel said. “We will not sit down to eat until he arrives.”
So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes. And the LORD said, “This is the one, anoint him.” So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil.
And the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah.”(NLT)
I want to speak to someone who has been overlooked several times, do not lose heart. God does not forget people, He remembers people. David had been forgotten by his family but God remembered him. There are blessings that have your name on them, such that no one can take them away from you. The anointing oil used in those times, was cattle fat according to some researches. It will be liquid when poured in, but the moment it is in, it settles and solidifies. It will only get to the liquid state when anointing the right person.
This explains why there was no oil when Samuel tried to anoint the other people. What is yours is and will remain yours, no one will take it away from you.
No matter how much people hate you, what is yours will remain yours. Your name will be called and invited to showcase your gift and talent.
No one can stop you, they can only delay you. God has a tendency of blessing people who were often despised publicly. David was promoted in the face and presence of his brothers.
David’s story illustrates a point I want you to keep at heart, God chooses and uses the unlikely. This means you are the right person to face the Goliath.
I should not be writing this article because I have no journalism background, I have a “C” in English “O” Level through to University, could not even speak proper English till I had finished University. I am an author of 14 books and still counting: God uses the unlikely. I decided to face my Goliath.
To be continued Next week!
Arthur Marara is an award winning author and speaker. He brings life to his audiences and delivers thought provoking talks for businesses, teams, organisations and churches. He is also a passionate attorney who has represented all types of clients from the lowest Courts to the Superior Courts in Zimbabwe.
To experience Arthur Marara at your next event, contact +263772467255 or write to him through his email [email protected].
