Estimates of Goliath’s height range anywhere from 9 feet to 13 feet tall. Regardless, he was an imposing sight and a thoroughly dangerous adversary. If David felt any fear as he marched ever closer to the titan, it is not recorded. But his fear seems to have been displaced by his unwavering faith in God. Goliath may also have been a little off guard due to the size and youth of his opponent. Imagine yourself moving across a valley heading toward a confrontation with an enemy that was big enough to crush you with his bare hands? Yet on David went with only one thing in mind: Get within sling range. We are not told how far David was from the giant when he launched his projectile. But you can be sure that if he was close enough to hit the giant with a stone, he was himself within javelin range of the former. David never deviated from his battle plan. He closed on the giant and launched his stone. The stone hit the giant, burying itself right in his huge forehead. Not one to take chances David charged the fallen foe and used the giant’s own sword to cut off his head. Any hunter who ever approached a seemingly dead animal only to have it rear up and attack can appreciate the danger David was putting himself in. But neither David’s faith nor his God failed him and his amazing courage and feat has been a source of inspiration to generations. Fight on!

For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me. But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us. In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.

—Psalm 44:6 8

A Little Help from a Friend

DURING the Korean War Lt. Robin Risner and his wingman were involved in a history making feat. They were hunting MiG-15s just south of the Yalu River which is the border between China and North Korea. Lt. Risner got into a dogfight with an exceptionally aggressive MiG pilot. It was suspected at the time that the Soviet Union was supplying pilots as well as MiGs to the North Koreans. Risner locked onto this particular airplane and blasted away at it. The pilot dove, jinked and banked in an effort to lose the determined American. Pieces of the MiG blew away. Then the canopy blew off, but the plane flew on, heading north for the Chinese border and safety. At one point, in a desperate attempt to force Risner to overshoot him the MiG pilot deployed his air brake. Risner slid right beside the damaged aircraft only to see a red-haired Caucasian shaking an angry fist at him. Risner dropped behind him again and fired away. Now over China, the MiG disintegrated and Lt. Risner and his wingman turned for home. But ground fire from the Communist enemy damaged Risner’s wingman’s F-86. They managed to get out of Chinese airspace before the airplane flamed out. He was going to have to bail out into the waiting arms of the North Koreans. But Lt. Risner had an idea that might save his wingman. The F-86 had a round air intake with an “upper lip” that stuck out. Risner dropped behind and below his wingman and carefully flew his plane up against the gliding fighter, inserting that lip right into the tailpipe. Then he pushed his wingman out over the Sea of China where he bailed out. Fight on!