Parent Pages Week 10
Bible Basis:
1 Samuel 16-17; Psalm 59:1-5, 9-10 and 16; 2 Samuel 2:1-6
“I am coming against you in the name of the Lord who rules over
all” (1 Samuel 17:45).
Preschool: David fought in God's strength. God gives me courage when I am
afraid.
Elementary: David fought in God’s strength. God gives me courage when I am afraid. Middle/High School: David relied on God’s strength, not his own.
Table Talk
Preschool/Elementary
• Goliath’s enormous size (about 7 feet tall) and strength intimidated Israel’s army. Why wasn’t
David afraid of this big bully?
• Would you have been afraid?
• Are there any bullies at school that scare you? What’s the best way to treat a bully? (Note: The
correct answer isn’t to hit him in the head with a rock.)
• Saul thought David should fight Goliath in the traditional way and dressed David in his armor.
Why was that a problem?
• How did David show faith by facing Goliath wearing his regular clothes and using rocks as a
weapon?
Note: Young readers will enjoy hearing this story in the Jesus Storybook Bible on page 122.
Middle/High School
• In King Saul’s eyes, Goliath was a massive, immovable force. What are the Goliath’s in your
life? In other words, what areas of your life do you need God’s power to help you overcome?
• Are there any things in your life that mock God? Maybe you’re focused more on video games
than God. Perhaps it’s the music you listen to.
• How can you defeat these Goliaths?
• What’s the main lesson you walk away from after reading about David’s faith and trust in
God?
Living Faith
How could a teenager defeat the greatest warrior of his era? Two words: God’s power. David trusted God to give him the strength to defeat Goliath. He knew he couldn’t defeat the ultimate soldier in his own power; David needed supernatural power, not to mention great aim.
Goliath was decked out in more than 125 pounds of armor. David probably weighed just a little more than that. Goliath had a 15-pound spear. David had five smooth stones. Odds were David would end up as a shish kabob. Instead Goliath ended up on his back.
Have your family practice its aim by playing this game. Collect eight to ten 2-liter plastic bottles. Put a couple of inches of water in the bottom of each bottle for stability and set them up as bowling pins. If you’re playing the game inside, take turns throwing a pillow at the pins. Each person gets one throw. Count how many pins are knocked down. If you play outside, take turns kicking a soccer ball at the pins. Play several rounds, keep a running score and declare a winner.
When you’re finished, talk about the difficulty of knocking down the pins. Now think how difficult it would’ve been for David to sling a stone into Goliath’s forehead. According to historians, military equipment was pretty advanced at this time. Goliath most likely wore a helmet with a thin slit or visor. The giant probably underestimated David and didn’t lower his visor or failed to wear a helmet. With God’s help, David made a perfect shot to give Israel the victory. Ask:
• Do you think people still underestimate God’s power today?
• What are some ways to show God’s power to the people around you?
Extra Mile
The contents of the Bible often make their way into the fabric of society. Nearly everyone knows the Golden Rule, which can be found in Luke 6:31. This week’s story also has made it into the English lexicon, especially when it comes to sports. Announcers love to talk about a “David versus Goliath” scenario as an underdog team faces a seemingly unbeatable opponent. The NCAA men’s basketball tournament, better known as March Madness, is famous for its upsets. Watch videos of two of the most well-known David-like victories.
The 1985 finals featured Georgetown and Villanova. Georgetown came into the game ranked No. 1 as the defending National Champion. Villanova was just an eight-seed and had already lost to Georgetown twice during the season. But the Wildcats shot an amazing 78.6 percent from the floor— missing just five shots all game—to win 66-64. Watch highlights of the game by searching YouTube.com for the 10:08 video called “1985 NCAA Championship - Georgetown vs Villanova.”
Perhaps an even more unlikely victory came in the 1983 finals when North Carolina State beat No. 1 Houston. With the game tied at 52-52, the Wolfpack wound down the clock and saw Dereck Whittenburg launch a shot into the air. Check it out by searching YouTube.com for the 5:28 video called “Team of Destiny.”
After watching these two videos, talk about what it took for a “David” to beat a “Goliath.” Ask members of your family if they still believe God gives Davids the ability to do the impossible today.
1 Samuel 16-17; Psalm 59:1-5, 9-10 and 16; 2 Samuel 2:1-6
“I am coming against you in the name of the Lord who rules over
all” (1 Samuel 17:45).
Preschool: David fought in God's strength. God gives me courage when I am
afraid.
Elementary: David fought in God’s strength. God gives me courage when I am afraid. Middle/High School: David relied on God’s strength, not his own.
Table Talk
Preschool/Elementary
• Goliath’s enormous size (about 7 feet tall) and strength intimidated Israel’s army. Why wasn’t
David afraid of this big bully?
• Would you have been afraid?
• Are there any bullies at school that scare you? What’s the best way to treat a bully? (Note: The
correct answer isn’t to hit him in the head with a rock.)
• Saul thought David should fight Goliath in the traditional way and dressed David in his armor.
Why was that a problem?
• How did David show faith by facing Goliath wearing his regular clothes and using rocks as a
weapon?
Note: Young readers will enjoy hearing this story in the Jesus Storybook Bible on page 122.
Middle/High School
• In King Saul’s eyes, Goliath was a massive, immovable force. What are the Goliath’s in your
life? In other words, what areas of your life do you need God’s power to help you overcome?
• Are there any things in your life that mock God? Maybe you’re focused more on video games
than God. Perhaps it’s the music you listen to.
• How can you defeat these Goliaths?
• What’s the main lesson you walk away from after reading about David’s faith and trust in
God?
Living Faith
How could a teenager defeat the greatest warrior of his era? Two words: God’s power. David trusted God to give him the strength to defeat Goliath. He knew he couldn’t defeat the ultimate soldier in his own power; David needed supernatural power, not to mention great aim.
Goliath was decked out in more than 125 pounds of armor. David probably weighed just a little more than that. Goliath had a 15-pound spear. David had five smooth stones. Odds were David would end up as a shish kabob. Instead Goliath ended up on his back.
Have your family practice its aim by playing this game. Collect eight to ten 2-liter plastic bottles. Put a couple of inches of water in the bottom of each bottle for stability and set them up as bowling pins. If you’re playing the game inside, take turns throwing a pillow at the pins. Each person gets one throw. Count how many pins are knocked down. If you play outside, take turns kicking a soccer ball at the pins. Play several rounds, keep a running score and declare a winner.
When you’re finished, talk about the difficulty of knocking down the pins. Now think how difficult it would’ve been for David to sling a stone into Goliath’s forehead. According to historians, military equipment was pretty advanced at this time. Goliath most likely wore a helmet with a thin slit or visor. The giant probably underestimated David and didn’t lower his visor or failed to wear a helmet. With God’s help, David made a perfect shot to give Israel the victory. Ask:
• Do you think people still underestimate God’s power today?
• What are some ways to show God’s power to the people around you?
Extra Mile
The contents of the Bible often make their way into the fabric of society. Nearly everyone knows the Golden Rule, which can be found in Luke 6:31. This week’s story also has made it into the English lexicon, especially when it comes to sports. Announcers love to talk about a “David versus Goliath” scenario as an underdog team faces a seemingly unbeatable opponent. The NCAA men’s basketball tournament, better known as March Madness, is famous for its upsets. Watch videos of two of the most well-known David-like victories.
The 1985 finals featured Georgetown and Villanova. Georgetown came into the game ranked No. 1 as the defending National Champion. Villanova was just an eight-seed and had already lost to Georgetown twice during the season. But the Wildcats shot an amazing 78.6 percent from the floor— missing just five shots all game—to win 66-64. Watch highlights of the game by searching YouTube.com for the 10:08 video called “1985 NCAA Championship - Georgetown vs Villanova.”
Perhaps an even more unlikely victory came in the 1983 finals when North Carolina State beat No. 1 Houston. With the game tied at 52-52, the Wolfpack wound down the clock and saw Dereck Whittenburg launch a shot into the air. Check it out by searching YouTube.com for the 5:28 video called “Team of Destiny.”
After watching these two videos, talk about what it took for a “David” to beat a “Goliath.” Ask members of your family if they still believe God gives Davids the ability to do the impossible today.