Proper equipment is crucial in sports. When I watch youth sports, I see many athletes not using the right gear. Little League players use bats and gloves way too big for them. Young hoops players use balls twice the size they need and are shooting at hoops that are way too high. Football players are playing tackle before they can spell it. When preparing young athletes, coupling good equipment with proper instruction will lead to ultimate improvement.

 

A young David saw his family fighting the Philistine army and knew he needed to act. David prepared himself by praying and working in the fields. He’d fought many tough opponents (lions, bears, and so on), but in Goliath he faced an animal of a different proportion. Goliath was a man among men, standing over nine feet tall. David offered Saul his service, and Saul offered his equipment. David tried it on and immediately knew he couldn’t move in it. So, he grabbed the right equipment: a sling and five smooth stones. Turns out he only needed one stone to get the job done. Proper preparation, plus proper equipment, plus God’s help equaled success!

 

Are we playing with the right equipment in our sports? in life? Many people try to fight their battles with the wrong equipment, trying to defeat sin and temptation with their own power or with a “self-help” aid. The reality is that God’s equipment is all we need to defeat anything in life. God’s Word, His righteousness, His peace, and His salvation are all we need to win.