Today, I am thankful for the unsung heroes who are the true ‘Davids‘ in the world.
For 40 straight days, in the Valley of Elah of what is now modern-day Israel, the Philistines and the Israelites faced off in war. Twice a day, once in the morning and again in the evening, the champion of the Philistines, a muscular behemoth, would overtly challenge the Israelites to send out a champion of their own to battle the dreaded colossus. Without any armor except for his sling and 5 stones gathered from a nearby shallow stream, a young Israelite steps up to face the armored giant. With one shot of his sling, the giant is toppled with a crushing blow to his forehead. The young boy eliminates the mammoth in a single-elimination competition. David beats Goliath.
Normally, this week would be the start of March Madness. For many years, college basketball has afforded us the opportunity to relive stories that remind us of David and Goliath. Lehigh beats Duke. Middle Tennessee State defeats Michigan State. Norfolk State upsets Missouri. Hampton tramples Iowa State. Coppin State knocks out South Carolina. When we witness these events, we often sit in disbelief, with our eyes fixed, mouths ajar, and fingers tightly gripped to what remaining hair we possess.
Even though the annual circus that is March Madness will not happen in 2020, this does not mean that we cannot celebrate those who, in turn, are standing up to fight the Goliaths. The massive pandemic that we are now facing is being fought by Davids around the world, namely physicians, nurses, and other health care providers who are risking their own livelihood to care for the ones in need. They are the true Davids, and they are helping us and the entire world to fight the disease. Folks, we will will beat this pandemic. For those not on the frontline, you can help by following the rules and staying calm in the process.
Today, my gratitude goes out to all of those on the front lines and in the trenches who remind us that the Davids can still beat Goliaths, even without a sbasketball tournament.
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