To be despised by others without despising them

David had Saul's armor on him, but he could not move forward because he had never tried. He had never tried to be religious, he had always refused. He did not want to be like the people of Saul's church, even if he did not want to judge them. He was simple, whole, he was himself. He just wanted to defeat the enemy who had risen against the people of God, but so far no one among the people of "church" had tried. He did not want to conform to the rest of the people. He did not want to accept their speeches, their thoughts, their fears, their fears and their superstitions. He knew he had to stand up and make a difference, he just knew that he had to obey God, and that if God had been with him in the affairs of this life, God would be with him for things that concern his Kingdom. If he had managed to believe for the protection of his possessions and his life, he could believe for the protection of the people and the kingdom of God.

David did not despise the people of his "church". It was the people of his church who despised him. His brothers, Saul, the people, and even Goliath had unknowingly leagued together to despise David. They spoke the same language, so they had the same reaction to faith : fear, contempt and mockery.

David was not animated by a bitter zeal, wanting to prove to his people that he was different. He did not want to prove that he understood and that all the people were idiots. He did not consider himself bigger, wiser or stronger. If he had done so, he would have acted stupidly. He simply considered God, the one he had long been watching ! Many people announce the gospel and despise the people of their church, thinking that they are hypocrites, weak people unable to evangelize. And they go to war full of themselves and scorn for others. They act with bitter zeal, while love has replaced the law.

Jeremy Sourdril