Throw Rocks at David? (Discipleship in an Anti-Fragile World.)

Activist Tee-shirts?

In 2003, the David & Goliath clothing brand by Todd Goldman put out a series of Tee-shirts with slightly varying slogans like, “Boys are stupid. Throw rocks at them.” So followed books, mugs, key chains, posters and even a board game. These were preceded and accompanied by other slogans that also bashed boys, “Boys are smelly,” “Boys eat boogers when no one is watching,” and “Boys have cooties.” See this footnote for a longer list.[1]

I thought they were funny… but not funny. Afterall, it’s all fun and games until someone takes a brick to the head.

In a world where everything divides into two easily distinguished categories of oppressor and oppressed… and activists allow any act of revenge against “oppressors”… and people celebrate any vile action by the “oppressed”… this folderol goes beyond humor. But I, as a once upon a time boy, still laugh when I remember them.  

Throw Rocks at David?

King David makes a statement in 2 Samuel 16:10 that strikes me just as hard, if you’ll pardon the pun. David flees Jerusalem after a coup by his son Absalom. A relative of David’s predecessor, King Saul, comes out and throws stones at David, cursing him and triumphing over his downfall. David’s men, indignant, volunteer to chase him down and cut off his head. How dare he? Who does he think he is? But David responds differently.

David says, “If he is cursing because the LORD has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so? Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to. It may be that the LORD will look on the wrong done to me, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing today.” 

In my interpretive memory (Yes, that’s a thing) I recount it to myself thus, “Throw rocks at David… for his own good.”

It’s an Anti-fragile World

Human beings are anti-fragile. Fragile things break with rough handling. Non-fragile things are neither helped nor hurt by rough handling. Anti-fragile things NEED rough handling to be healthy. People need challenges to overcome, a purpose to fulfill, a sense of meaning to keep going, stress to rise to an occasion. People need something worth dying for to find something worth living for. Free and easy is bad for us.

Anti-fragile Discipleship

And in this divinely established reality, Christian discipleship takes on an altogether different tint than is given to it by the false teachers of the Word Faith movement… i.e. Health & Wealth gospel preachers… name it and claim it, blab it and grab it. In biblical discipleship, God uses suffering and struggle to turn us into the people he wants us to be so that we can share in the work that he wants us to do.

You are Cordially Invited

I have struggled my whole life with a “woe is me” inclination. I am driven in my work for the Lord, but my favorite party is a pity party… and I always come with snacks. My favorite football team is the Sargent Sulkers… we don’t score much, but we brood with excellence. My inner dialogue flips easily from hope and determination to a running commentary on all the ways I’ve been ill-used, under-appreciated, poorly compensated, uncared-for, and unloved. I deserve much better than I’ve gotten in life. Don’t believe me? Just ask me. I’ll tell you all about it.

Remembering David

When I find myself cultivating these sentiments like my own personal grievance garden, I often turn to Scripture’s good medicine, “Throw rocks at David… for his own good.” I ask the Lord to help me find His love for me in my suffering. I seek gratitude even there.

My wife isn’t giving me all that I think I should have? God gave her to me… for my own good. Having a doting fan for a wife would more than likely be bad for me. She keeps me sharp and on my toes. She makes me work hard emotionally for what I get from her. Free and easy is bad for us.

People contend with me over my scholarship? I, like everyone else, need the conflict to be more precise and careful. We need others to hold our feet to the fire to get the best out of us. Some of the greatest theological and administrative growth in the history of the Church has come through the challenges of enemies and heretics.

Riches have not come my way? Perhaps the Lord knows that these would defuse my drive. Perhaps I need to learn to be better at the things that generate money. Why should the Lord reward my sloppy business habits?

Learning Even From Fools

In 2013, at a major Christian conference, I was deeply provoked by almost every speaker who abused Scripture… every bestselling book for sale that was unbiblical, sentimental hog slop… every person being celebrated for their thoughts that ranged from mediocre to blasphemous.

I was telling the Lord all about it as I walked around one of the booksellers booths tossing through their trash when (and I don’t say this lightly) God slapped me out of nowhere, cutting me off mid-rant, saying, “Well, they obviously know at least one thing you don’t.” OUCH!!! Yes… God was right… He usually is. As much as I was disgusted by what these people had to say, they could teach me more than a little about promotion… about presentation… about gathering and keeping loyal “co-laborers” and disciples.

You are reaching higher levels of Christian maturity when you can thank God for His loving attention to your good even when it comes in the form of “throw rocks at David.”

~Andrew D. Sargent, PhD

[1] “Boys lie, poke ’em in the eye!” “The stupid factory — where boys are made.” “Boys lie; make them cry.” “Boys are goobers, drop anvils on their heads.” “Lobotomy: How to train boys.” “If boys are so tough, why are they so afraid of knives?” “Tape can be fun.” (illustrated with a taped-mouth boy)