There is a tendency when someone strikes gold to automatically look and say, “Of course that was a success.” It’s easy to look at the successes in the 20/20 of hindsight. It’s easy to behold a truly moving painting, hear a profound and eloquent speech, read a masterful work, and forget that that painter, speaker, writer–artist–did not wake up that day and try for the first time in their domain. Rather, their life and career are riddled with unequivocal failures, personal defeats, and professional discouragements. We all like the rags to riches stories. We like the Rocky Balboas. The David and Goliaths. But we are apt to overlook the truth that the giant does not fall by inaction, complacency, or fear.
Saul had many a brave man in his army. Saul himself was no pushover. But, fear had paralyzed him into inaction. The status quo. The Davids of the world are simply those who have been applying themselves quietly and diligently for years with the sheep that no one seems to care about. Selflessly pouring into their flock. Cultivating their skills and abilities. Honing their craft with no recognition–or even worse, contempt and misunderstanding. David had already played in the royal court, yet Saul seems barely cognizant of this when he’s presented before the king. Saul even goes so far as to suggest that the armor would be better suited for him. He’ll die, but at least I tried to help. But David had learned something invaluable among the flock–keep tending the flock, keep playing the harp, keep lifting your voice in praise and prose, and when the opportunity arises, trust God and your instincts.
Many are concerned about it right 100%. I can’t. You can’t. As Andy Andrews said in The Traveler’s Gift (pg. 33), “God did not put in me the ability to always make right decisions. He did, however, put in me the ability to make a decision and then make it right.” Go for it. Take a risk. Life is full of them. Don’t wait for the right opportunity because we have no idea at the outset if the opportunity is right or wrong. Very rarely are our decisions so vastly incapacitating that we’re unable to recover from them. I may not strike gold–today. But I will keep digging.