Demonstrating your faith during challenging times

Welcome to my third Faith and Family Business series, focusing on the Biblical King David. David’s story explores a full range of emotions and experiences in life, offering insights about ourselves and others in work and family. My hope is that your own faith, family, and understanding of your family business will be enriched by considering David's story.

Last week we read that as David is preparing to fight Goliath, he decides not to wear the armor given to him by King Saul. Now we see David choose his weapon and then confront the giant:

Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd’s pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.

Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” (I Sam. 17:40, 45)

David, who is about to fight a well-equipped giant, chooses a sling and five stones — a seemingly inferior but familiar weapon. Then, when he confronts Goliath, we discover David’s confidence in his weapon stems from his faith in God and his clarity of purpose. He contrasts his divine conviction with Goliath’s man-made weapons. David trusts God to use his skills and abilities to accomplish something important. He’s operating on an entirely different level.

In our family businesses, we may not be fighting giants, but each day we face challenges that offer chances to use our skills and demonstrate our faith. It might be in how we acknowledge, instead of argue with, a difficult family member. It could be in how well we choose to treat a longstanding competitor, or in how we take time to visit with an annoying neighbor. Maybe it’s how we try to help, instead of reprimand, an employee who frustrates us. In short, we can choose to respond to difficult situations in ways that communicate our faith, instead of the worldly, hurried, angry, or vengeful responses expected (and so common) in our secular culture.

How have you shown or expressed your faith to another person? What are your familiar tools or strengths - your “five smooth stones” - with which you can face challenging situations?