Mr. Irrelevant
“But David said to Saul, ‘[I have] been keeping [my] father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.’” I Samuel 17:34-35
Yesterday the San Francisco 49ers played the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship game. The 9er’s starting quarterback is Brock Purdy a professed Christian. Brock took on the starting role last year after Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo went down with injuries. Brock Purdy was the very last pick in the NFL Draft and received the label “Mr. Irrelevant.” You can be sure that the label has disappeared as he has led the team to his second straight NFC Championship game and has gained the respect of the team and fans. Many “experts” say he is the reason why the 49ers have the chance to go all the way.
Brock Purdy said, “Like, I don’t know if I would’ve ever had an opportunity to play in the NFL, depending on how it goes. So, it’s like you go out there, you prepare as best as you can, you get better every single day at practice.
And once you get your opportunity, man, it’s what are you going to do with it. So, for me, I believe in the Lord and I trust in Him and I just go out there and just play, so that’s really about it.”
I Samuel 17:34-35 tells us that David used opportunities as a shepherd—a low-level job—to prepare himself for bigger moments, like when he faced Goliath in battle. He knew God had equipped him to do things by killing lions and bears. David didn’t know the battle with Goliath was upcoming, but he focused on being faithful to where he was day by day.
Thought For Today: David’s day-by-day faithfulness to God led him from being a lowly shepherd to King of Israel. In the midst of what may seem to be an ordinary lowly day, God is preparing you for great things for his kingdom. Are you being faithful to God in your day-by-day situation?
Today’s Prayer Focus: Praise God that He is faithful to us, even when we are unfaithful to him. Ask for God’s help to be a faithful disciple of our Lord Jesus. Deo Volente.