Samuel asked him, “Are these all the sons you have?” “There is still the youngest,” he answered, “but right now he’s tending the sheep.” 1 Samuel 16:11 HCSB
The NCAA March Madness Basketball Tournament is one of my favorite times of the year. I especially enjoy watching the underdog teams play a team that should easily defeat them. The underdog team usually plays with more energy and determination which sometimes makes up for the lack of skill and ability they have as compared to the other team. In 1982 the powerful and talented University of Kentucky basketball team coached by Joe B. Hall and ranked 15th in the nation went up against the small and unranked Middle Tennessee State University team from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Everyone expected Kentucky to easily defeat MTSU, but at half time the score was tied. Surprisingly, MTSU went on to defeat Kentucky by a score of 50-44.
Just as MTSU was an unlikely candidate to win the game, David was an unlikely candidate to be anointed as the next king of Israel. He was the youngest of all of Jesse’s sons. Jesse did not even bother to present him to Samuel because to Jesse there was not even a chance that David would be selected. But many times God uses the most unlikely person to accomplish God-sized tasks.
David Ring was born with cerebral palsy and at age 14 he was orphaned and was cast about from one foster family to another. Who would think that David would be a nationally known motivational speaker and evangelist? He shares his story with over 100,000 people every year. No one would have picked David Ring to be used of God and no one would have picked David the shepherd boy to be the one that God would choose as King of Israel.
Challenge: If you don’t think you can be used of God, then think again and look at the many examples of people in the Bible that God used to accomplish great things. He can use you in the same way if you will only yield your life to Him and follow His direction.