SCRIPTURE READING: 1 SAMUEL 17: 1-53
FOCUS: “And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle.” (1 Samuel 17: 28)
MEMORY VERSE: “Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity:” (Nehemiah 4: 4)
In our Focal Scripture, Eliab railed against David for showing up in the battlefield. Eliab queried David about the few sheep in the wilderness and who he left them with. Eliab seemed to summarize the ability of David as being only about a few sheep. Eliab spoke words that ridiculed the capacity of David. The voice of Eliab was the voice of one who didn’t believe in David’s capacity. The voice of Eliab was a voice that ridicules capacity.
Eliab knew David for taking care of a few sheep, but he had no idea that whilst on the assignment of taking care of sheep, he had slain a lion with his hands. In fact, David had rescued his sheep from the mouth of the lion before killing the lion. David had done major exploits in the bush, where the eyes of his brother could not see. So the voice of Eliab was that voice that ignorantly ridiculed the capacity of David.
Friend, there are men who only know you from a distance, and therefore would assess you below the capacity that heaven has bestowed on you: pay no attention to them when they try to stop you. Don’t allow the voices of those who underrate you to stop you. Don’t allow the voices of those who have not seen your secret exploits to stop you. Don’t allow the voices of those who think you are not worth believing in, to stop you.
David had probably never mentioned his exploits in the bush to anyone until he spoke to Saul. So he killed lions and bears in the bush, but remained faithful to his assignment of taking care of sheep, to the extent that his own brother underestimated his capacity. There are men who do not know your exploits, seeds, prayers, secret efforts, etc., and they would naturally try to ridicule your capacity; get set, they will soon see your results in action.
Remember, if they are voices of those who are either ignorant or unreceptive to the capacity you have in you, pay no attention to them.
FURTHER READING: NEHEMIAH 4
DECLARATION:
- I refuse to listen to the voice of those who ridicule my capacity, in Jesus’ name!
