Let us pray: O God, may the words that I speak and the thoughts and actions that these words inspire be faithful to you and may they lead us to deeper knowledge of your presence in our lives. Amen.

For a somewhat scrawny, pre-teen boy in the mid-60's there was nothing better coming out of church and Sunday school than the story of David and Goliath. I don’t know what the story did for girls my age, but I didn’t care. In fact, I didn’t care about girls much at all back then. But that story - it seemed to have everything for a young boy - warriors, armour, courage, just a bit of humour, and real hope against the onslaught of school yard bullies. It seems the only thing missing for me was the red hair, and perhaps a few sheep, lions and bears. I’m still waiting to meet some lions, and the bears came along much later.

This impression was probably helped along by the fact that one of my favourite cartoon shows in those days was one put out by the Lutheran Church (I perhaps should have waited until next week to talk about this!) called Davey and Goliath. The cartoon didn’t have much to do with the story we heard from First Samuel this morning, except for the names of the boy Davey who was the main protagonist in the cartoon and his faithful companion Goliath, a big dog. I don’t even remember much about the adventures that Davey and Goliath encountered, but I do remember that the theme song for the cartoon was a Martin Luther hymn tune, perhaps his best known one - A Mighty Fortress is Our God. Even the name of that tune seems to lend itself to the theme that is naturally associated with the story of David and Goliath.

Of course the story of David and Goliath is not the only one where underdogs are found. In fact, if you were to summarise much of the message of the Pentateuch - the first five books of the Hebrew Bible - it’s all about underdogs. Beginning with Sarah and Abraham - against all odds becoming parents in their senior citizen years and the generations which succeeded them, the cycles of stories are replete with stories of triumph of unlikely heroes. Jacob, another redhead - the smaller, younger twin who tricks his brother and father out of a birthright. Joseph, the youngster, spurned by his siblings and sold into supposed slavery. These are but a few of the stories in which underdogs win out against the odds. I’m sure you could easily name several more.

The theme of underdog is so closely associated with the biblical story that I believe it has become an unconscious part of who we are as members of the Judeao-Christian heritage. I wonder how many people were subconsciously expecting the Edmonton Oilers to win the Stanley Cup last Monday because we have become so used to the idea that if we believe strongly enough the underdog will come out on top.

There’s an unfortunate consequence to this theme. Because underdogs do so well in the biblical story it becomes advantageous to be portrayed as just that. You can see it in the hockey playoffs - teams attempting to gain a competitive advantage by painting themselves as underdogs. There is some kind of psychological edge that comes about by regarding ourselves as overpowered, outmatched and outwitted.

Underdogs do so well in the biblical story that it becomes important for us to regard ourselves as just that. It is a disadvantage to be strong and powerful, for the strong and powerful are brought low according to the message of the bible. The rich and mighty have it coming to them is what the scriptural story so often tells us. So why would we want to see ourselves in that way?

The unfortunate truth is that we are not underdogs. It doesn’t take too discerning a look at the way we live our lives, the kinds of resources we use, the advantages we have, to know that in world terms we are the Goliaths - standing well above the crowd of people around us. We have the power, the wealth and the might. We wield it by the ways we structure economic systems, the ways we use resources beyond our fair share, the ways in which we protect ourselves and the things we call our own by limiting access to them.

Of course that’s a big picture understanding. It might seem a helpless situation for us - small, almost indiscernible cogs in a wheel that seems to turn against our efforts to change direction. What can we do to change the way the world works? How can we struggle against our first world complicity in systems and structures that build up Goliath and look down on David? Aren’t these structures and systems beyond our control?

Not surprisingly perhaps, the answer lies in exactly the same place. While the first world nations may not be underdogs at all when it comes to economic systems, use of resources, control of world power, and as people who live in a first world nation we are part of that. We can take heart from the biblical story in our struggle to change the systems which oppress and perpetrate injustice. We may not be a scrawny weakling as a nation in world terms, but if that’s an image that works for us in a struggle to bring compassion, a sense of justice and concern for the oppressed to the fore in the work that we do, then so be it.

I mentioned briefly already that there is some kind of psychological advantage in claiming an underdog role. There is something that inspires supreme effort and concentrated focus when the odds are against us. The biblical stories of underdogs also claim something else - namely that sense that God is behind them. When David presented his credentials to Saul - he used the example of his encounters with bears and lions when he was working as a shepherd - and his understanding that God had protected him from the danger presented by these perils. It is faith in God - the mighty fortress God, that gave David strength and courage to face the giant. Amazing things can happen when we put our trust in God - power and strength beyond our imagining can happen.

The gospel writers liked to portray these wonders - these amazing works of God - in miraculous terms. When confronted by a dangerous wind storm - Jesus almost comically, is aroused from a power nap in the back of the boat - one wonders if the storm was that bad how he could possibly have been able to doze off. Jesus is aroused and quells the storm calling those around him to greater faithfulness. While the specifics of the miracle may be hard for us to grasp - the message is that amazing things can happen when we put our trust in God. Wonders can and will happen. It is a call for us to widen our focus, unbind our expectations and open up the ways in which we look for God’s presence.

Underdogs don’t always win. That’s what makes them underdogs. There is a strong message, however, that power and might, status and wealth are not the only things that count for something in God’s world. Wonders can and do happen. Amen.