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NewsDay

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David vs David, Goliath vs Goliath

Opinion & Analysis
If you are looking for a piece about the politics in our country, sorry. This isn't it. If you are looking for someone to provoke you to introspect and reflect on, read on.

If you are looking for a piece about the politics in our country, sorry. This isn’t it. If you are looking for someone to provoke you to introspect and reflect on, read on.

By Thembe Khumalo

We have come to assume that we know what went on in the Biblical story of David and Goliath. David was a youngster, sent back and forth to the battlefield to bring lunch to his older brothers — (If you are a last-born like me you can surely feel David’s pain!) Goliath was a bully, whom no one wanted to mess up with. By some unbelievable twist of fate, (or a miracle, as some might say) David manages with one magnificent move of his sling, to fell the giant and lead the Israelite army to victory, winning himself the hand of the King’s daughter in the process.

It’s a captivating story with a happy ending, and everyone loves an underdog — especially one that wins against an infamous bully. Read the story in 1 Samuel 17, if the details are a little hazy.

But, what if we have interpreted the story a little wrongly? What if we the audience are actually the only ones who think that David was an underdog? What if David himself saw it as a battle of equals, feeling himself up to the task of tackling (metaphorically and literally) the giant Goliath. If this was the case, then it would be more like a story of two giants, rather than a giant and an underdog.

And what if we took it even further and supposed that Goliath didn’t see himself as the giant in the equation, but knew himself to be weak, vulnerable and defenseless in the face of a certain type of enemy — so effectively an underdog, a David himself. David against David; Goliath against Goliath.

My simple thesis is that in this story David had a secret weapon — his weapon was self-belief. David came to the giant with the heart of a giant himself. And as he played Braveheart, the underdog in Goliath (and we all have one, no matter how big a giant we appear to be) recognised the giant in David, and exposed his Achilles heel.

You may be wondering what evidence I base my argument on. Well, my evidence is based on David’s language, demeanor and choices — as presented in my Bible, which is the NIV version.

Firstly, when I look at David’s language, I don’t get a sense of the kind of diffidence that one expects in a victim, or even any idea that he may have felt intimidated. I sense only that he was a little outraged by the goings on, and completely fearless! “This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.”

David’ demeanor was never tentative or uncertain. He asked for the information he needed, and made a swift decision about what he needed to do. When the king suggested he might not be up to the task, he presented his evidence.

Finally David’s choices lead me to believe that his self-belief was solid, and his confidence rock solid. He wasn’t recruited he got involved. He stepped up and volunteered for something no one had had the guts to do in a forty-day long stalemate.

His actions were significant after slaying Goliath too. “David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine’s sword and drew it from the sheath. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword.” He used Goliath’s own sword to cut off his head. Certainly no shy bone in young David’s body!

All of this tells me David did not see himself as an underdog, and that he may even have felt himself superior to Goliath, on account of his faith in the God whom his people worshipped.

So what is the relevance of a David and David, Goliath and Goliath way of seeing things to our present day life? How does it alter anything for a young person today, who may seem somewhat like an underdog?

Well, when we imagine a David who sees himself as a Goliath, it changes everything. The heart of the matter is how David sees himself. When we go into battle — whether it is an exam, a sporting competition or a clash with a parent, boss or spouse, we have to see ourselves as equal, (in value at the very least), if we are to benefit from the Goliath and Goliath effect. Our self-belief must be sufficiently robust to overcome any perceived disadvantage we may be facing.

Self-belief is important for many reasons. It helps us see opportunities that we sometimes miss when we are preoccupied with the “reality” of the challenges we face. Self-belief changes not only how we see ourselves, but in turn, how we see the world. It change our views and our goals too. With a clear goal in mind we begin to see new ways of achieving those goals because we start to notice elements around us that can assist one in reaching them. Those elements take on new meaning because of the clarity of focus, allowing us maximum opportunity to use them to reach our goals.

Self-belief also affects the way others see us, thereby increasing our chances of gaining support for the achievement of our goals. Few goals can be achieved by one person acting on their own. When you believe in yourself, you inspire others around you to believe in you too. They buy into your vision, they sense your energy and they rally behind your cause.

“Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines…” Whether the support comes in the form of mentorship, material provision or just a powerful response to your rallying call, it is invaluable in helping one succeed. If we look at the example of former US President Barak Obama (pictured), we see a solid example of how his own self-belief, and his unchanging narrative persuaded many who might never have supported him to support his bid, and helped him become America’s first black president.

In the face of obstacles, self-belief arouses persistence and perseverance. A leader who is lacking in self-belief is likely to falter at the first hurdle. The one who has strong confidence in his abilities will find a way around obstacles, he will fight his way through them or he will distract them while he whizzes past. Consider the disabled athlete, the female chief executive in a male dominated environment, the dyslexic child — all of these could easily become disheartened by the challenges they face on a daily basis. But if they believe in themselves, they become unstoppable.

As leaders, our mandate is simple: to help every David on our team see the Goliath within him. Even when we ourselves are that David.

Thembe Khumalo is a brand builder, storyteller and certified life coach