Red shoes and swords

My oldest son celebrated his birthday not long ago. I’ve spent a few days feeling nostalgic as I remembered him growing up. He was a busy boy! It seems he was born to get things done and take the lead. He crawled early, walked early, ran fast, and was passionate about doing things “by myself.”

I remember once when he was just a toddler, he concentrated heavily on tying his shoes. After nearly an hour of trying, he cried when he couldn’t finish it, and declared that he would no longer wear those shoes. Not an hour passed after this declaration that he was back at it, trying to tie those red tennis shoes. It wasn’t long before he ran off with those shoes tied as best as his little hands could manage, telling his daddy, “I did it by myself!”

Short-lived victories

His victory was short-lived, however, as the laces came untied rather quickly. He tripped and skinned his knee. Tears quickly ensued, followed by swiftly collecting my independent one in my arms and kissing the tears away. When the tears dried, we tried to tie those shoes together, and the day came when they no longer came loose. A tough lesson for my little one! Yet, he learned to let Mama teach him how to tie shoes that day. Time went by, and he grew, but he learned to come and get help when he couldn’t figure something out.

Past victories and tying shoes

In the same way my son had to learn from his shoe-tying exercise, I’m learning to rely on past lessons and victories to help me move forward and tie my shoes.

So the priest said, “The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, there it is, wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. If you will take that, take it. For there is no other except that one here.” And David said, “There is none like it; give it to me.” – 1 Samuel 21:9 NKJV

If you remember the account of David and Goliath, David killed Goliath (the champion of the Philistines, Israel’s dreaded enemy) with Goliath’s own sword. What a victory that was! However, it seems after that victory, Goliath’s sword – the symbol of that victory – got put away, forgotten until the day David needed it.

Swords of the past work in the present

Sometimes, we go through things in life when the victories of the past return to us at the right moment to bless us, just like the sword of Goliath came back to David. Realizations and answers come, and victory is assured because we remember God brought victory before and will bring it again.

I encourage you to reach back for those swords, those victories. Remember what God has done in the past. This will encourage your faith to believe again. Declare like David of the sword you used in times past, “There’s none like it; give it to me.”

Lea Peters

Lea Peters has been a pastor’s wife and missionary since 1987. She has served alongside her husband, Jamie, planting churches and establishing faith-based community outreaches in Africa. She has four children and two grandchildren.

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