Once upon a time, in a land far away, there was a big, green valley where two armies stood facing each other. One army was the Israelites, God’s people, and the other was the Philistines. The sun was shining bright, and the wind whispered through the trees like a soft song.
The Philistines had a giant warrior named Goliath. He was very tall—almost like a mountain standing on the ground! He wore heavy armor that clinked and clanked when he moved. Every day, Goliath shouted loudly, “Who will fight me? I am the strongest!” The Israelite soldiers felt very scared. Their knees shook like leaves in the wind.
Far away, a young boy named David was taking care of his father’s sheep. David was small and gentle, with a heart full of love for God. One day, his father asked him to bring food to his brothers who were in the army. David was excited to help. When he arrived, he heard Goliath’s loud voice booming across the valley.
David wondered, “Why is no one brave enough to fight this giant?” He felt a little brave inside because he trusted God very much. David said to King Saul, “Don’t be afraid of Goliath. God will help me fight him.” The king looked at David and smiled, but he was still worried because David was just a boy.
David picked five smooth stones from a river. They were round and shiny like little moons. With his sling in his hand, he walked toward the giant. The sun warmed his face, and his heart beat like a drum. Goliath laughed when he saw David, “You think you can fight me? I will crush you!”
But David was not afraid. He whispered a prayer to God, “Please help me be strong.” Then, he swung his sling around and let the stone fly through the air. It flew like a bird and hit Goliath right on the forehead! The giant fell down like a tall tree in a storm.
The Israelite soldiers cheered, “God is with David!” The valley was filled with happy voices and bright smiles. David knew that God had helped him win the battle, not because he was big or strong, but because God’s power is the greatest.
David’s brave heart teaches us that no matter how big our problems are, God is bigger and can help us. When we trust God, we can be brave like David and face anything with joy and hope.
Questions to think about
- Why was David not afraid to fight Goliath?
- How did David feel when he saw the giant?
- What did David use to fight Goliath?
- Who helped David win the battle?
- How can we be brave like David?
Message of the story
God is always stronger than any problem we face. When we trust Him, He helps us be brave and victorious.
Bible passage
1 Samuel 17
1 Samuel 17 (ICB translation)
1 Now the Philistines gathered their armies to fight against Israel. They gathered at Socoh in Judah and camped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes Dammim.
2 Saul and the Israelites gathered together and camped in the Valley of Elah. They got ready to fight the Philistines.
3 The Philistine army stood on one hill, and the Israelites stood on another hill. The valley was between them.
4 A man named Goliath came out from the Philistine army. He was from Gath. He was very tall.
5 He was six cubits and a span tall. (A cubit is about 18 inches, so he was about 9 feet 9 inches tall!)
6 He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor.
