Character of David Part 3: Passionate

I think Passion is one of the characteristics that Christians ride from one side of the pendulum swing to the other. Some Christians would say that Passion leads to life that is uncontrolled and therefore should be avoided and on the other side of that coin we see that other would say that true Christianity can only be obtained through unbridled Passion, that we live according to that passion. I believe both views are correct. We need to have a passion for our Lord, but it needs to be in a controlled manner. Not allowing our feelings to control us, but allowing the Lord to guide us through His Spirit.
David gives a great example of passion under control.
First, let us look at the end of verse 20, " And he came to the circle of the camp while the army was going out in battle array shouting the war cry." I want to draw your attention to this passage not as an example of passion, but as an example of fake or false passion. They are faking it, they are going out daily to do this ancient trash talking and yet their hearts not in it. My football coach used to call this going through the motions. When we would be practicing and just running the plays with no passion and just did it because we needed to, my coach would make us take and knee and then rant at us about us just going through the motions, not putting any heart into it. At the time I was clueless and never really understood what he meant, but now I see exactly what he was talking about. How many times have I gone to church just because I know that is the "Christian" thing to do. How many times I have I gone to youth group or to an event and just did what I was supposed to do, but had no passion doing it. This is what the Hebrew Army is doing they are just going out there and just shouting but do not have any heart. When you have no passion it is made known when a trail comes, we see in verse 24 that when the army sees Goliath they turned and fled because they were afraid. But David does not respond in such a way. In verse 26 David response to Goliath's taunts, with a question about reward for whom will remove this reproach from Israel. David becomes enraged at this uncircumcised Philistine (vs26), we see his passion rise to the surface. David is not just passionate bout his reward which is important, but he is passionate about the fact this enemy of God is talking smack and denouncing the Living God. These are two important things to point out, that David is not focused on just the reward or just the injustice, but he is passionate about both. We know his mind is on both because in verse 30 we see that David continues to ask about the reward. The passion for the injustice being done is not diminished we see in verses 45-47 David's response to Goliath's taunts and he still seek to right the wrong done by Goliath. So how does this translate into our lives. In 1 Peter 1:3-5 Peter writes:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."

Also Paul write in Ephesians1:9-12 :

"He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that it, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the council of His will, to the end that we who were first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory."

This is our reward, in Matthew 6 Jesus tells us to store up our treasures in heaven. It is okay to want to seek heavenly treasure this can help focus our passion. Some would say to serve with out seeking a reward, I would say serve knowing your reward. David knew his reward for fighting God's enemy, he sought it out. Sometimes we forget that in every fight, in every battle there are to two things we fight for, there is principal and then there is the reward. The reward for victory in David's case is personal wealth, his Father's house living tax free in Israel and being the son-in-law to the King (vs. 25). We too have multiple rewards, we have the ones mention in the above passages, but there are other rewards we receive, sometimes God will bless through physical means, but one reward we always receive from these battles is growth. This is the prize we should seek, not only does it have heavenly value, it has earthly value as well. I doubt your boss or teachers would be upset with you for being a better person. They will not despair as you become a better student/employee. For you married folks your spouse will never come back to you and say "I wish you were more lazy" or "you know really should be less responsible". Sometimes though there can be a tendency to focus too much on the reward we forget on what grounds we are fighting. We must except both. Paul encourages Timothy to fight the good fight:

"Fight the good fight of faith; take hold if the eternal life to which you were called, and made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." 1Timothy 6:12

And Paul says of himself:

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7

It is a goal just to fight hard ad again in verse 8 of 1 Timothy 8 Paul again reminds us of the reward.

"in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, from the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only me, but also all who have loved His appearing"
2 Timothy 4:8

There is no separating the two. We must have both the reward and principal in mind when we fight. But why? Why do we need both? We need both to keep us balanced, there are times when fellow believers try to hinder us from our battle. They tell us we are trying to get attention or we are wrong in our theology. Others can be jealous that God is working in your life and accuse you of legalism or of being too free. There are so many ways we as Christians stab each other in the "front" that it is easy to be discouraged in our fight and the same thing happens to David in verses 28-29 we see Davids brother give him a hard time and tries to discourage him. But David again looks to his reward as in verse 30 he continues to ask others around him and we see in verses 31 through 37 that David does not forget his righteous anger. He recalls the taunts of Goliath and this drives him to push the king into letting him fight and at the end of verse 37 Saul grants his petition. We need both sides of this passion. Passion for the reward and passion for righteousness. As we deal with those around us who would discourage us or distract from the battle God has put before us, we lean on the passion God has given us, which will carry us through the battle.