Nuggets from Many Mines

Chapter 1
Are You Guys Ready? Okay. Let’s Roll.

On September 11, 2001, United Airlines Flight 93 left Newark, New Jersey, at 8:42 a.m., heading for San Francisco, California. Four hijackers stormed the aircraft’s cockpit forty-six minutes after takeoff and turned the plane toward Washington, DC. All the passengers were herded to the rear of the plane. Some called their homes to tell what was happening. They learned the two World Trade Center buildings had been struck by hijacked planes. It became apparent that this was a suicide mission to fly the plane into the Capitol Building or the White House.

An affirmative vote was taken to attempt to take control of the plane and land it safely. After reciting the Lord’s Prayer and the twenty-third psalm, Todd Beamer said, “Are you guys ready? Okay. Let’s roll.” They were unable to gain control of the plane. Five minutes later, the plane crashed into an empty field in Stonycreek Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, about twenty minutes’ flying time from Washington, DC. Vice President Dick Cheney, in the Presidential Emergency Operations Center deep under the White House, authorized Flight 93 to be shot down. But upon learning of the crash, he is reported to have said, “I think an act of heroism just took place on that plane” (United Airlines Flight 93—Wikipedia).

“Courage is the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulties.” Courage is revealed in a critical situation and requires one to act when others may not be willing. There is always the risk of failure. President Theodore Roosevelt said, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat” (Internet, Goodreads, Theodore Roosevelts Quotes). Courage is often revealed when there is physical danger, but we will see it is also revealed in quieter situations.

David and Goliath

Perhaps the monumental example of physical courage in the Bible is recorded in 1 Samuel 17. Jesse had eight sons, and the three oldest, Eliab, Abinadab, and Shammah, were with King Saul’s army fighting the Philistines. Jesse wanted to send supplies to his sons and a gift for their captain. He showed great confidence in his youngest son, David, by selecting him to take the supplies about thirty-five miles to the battlefield. We do not know exactly how old David was, but he was probably in his teens since Saul called him a youth. He was under twenty, which was the age when one could be counted for the army (Numbers 1:45). David must have been thrilled to have this exciting opportunity to see the battle. The battlefield was the Valley of Elah, with Saul’s army on the north and the Philistines marshaled on the south.

David arrived just as the army was going out to fight and shouting for the battle. But there was no engagement with the enemy. David was soon to learn the reason. Over the past forty days, in the morning and night, a giant Philistine by the name of Goliath had issued this challenge, “Choose a man for yourselves and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together” (1 Samuel 17:8–10).

Further inquiry revealed to David that Saul promised to the one who killed Goliath great riches, his daughter in marriage, and lifetime tax exemption for the family. This was not David’s motivation to accept Goliath’s invitation; this uncircumcised Philistine had defied the army of the living God! When David’s older brother Eliab heard his inquiry, he accused him of pride and insolence, but David was not deterred. Saul heard of his offer to fight Goliath and sent for him. David told his king, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:32). Even Saul tried to dissuade him. “Saul said to David, You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth” (1 Samuel 17:33). The future of his army depended on this battle.