We're hard-wired to glorify the solo hero. Whether it's Zorro single-handedly rescuing his down-trodden community or Bruce Willis' Die Hard John McClane terrorizing the terrorists by himself, we seem to be drawn to the Lone Ranger figures.
In the real world, though, it takes a team of heroes to accomplish anything of lasting value.
At first, you might think that the King David Story is another Lone Ranger story. David so dominates the Old Testament landscape that you might not immediately notice all the human help he received. That's why 2 Samuel 23 is so important. As the writer of 2 Samuel ended his story, he celebrated the "Mighty Men" who made David's success possible.
What do you think it took to be in David's posse? That's a vital question, because the biblical writer had a point for including this list of "Mighty Men" in the David Story. It wasn't just to have thrilling stories to tell to boys around campfires. The writer wanted to illustrate some qualities worth copying.
The German philosopher Gotthold Lessing thought of ancient Greek sculpture when he said, "Beautiful men made beautiful statues, and the city had beautiful statues in part to thank for beautiful citizens."
In other words, we become what we celebrate.
So, what are we honoring in our churches, our families, and our society? I read through the brief stories of David's Mighty Men and I find some characteristics to honor in others--and develop in myself. These guys were brave when others ran away, they stood their ground no matter how exhausting the conflict, they were willing to sacrifice for the good of the community. Such characteristics qualified them to ride in David's posse.
This Sunday @ 10, we'll look at six qualities of David's Mighty Men worth copying. It's part of our continuing series, "Full-Throttle Faith: Life Lessons From King David." You can review or catch up with the series at our website, HillcrestAustin.org. If you've got guests in for Thanksgiving this weekend, bring them with you!
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