Pause for Thought: Facing Fear
The story of David and Goliath
by Jenny Tuxford (video recording by Vita)
Suitable for Whole School (Pri)
Aims
To consider how we can face our worries head-on, no matter how big they are.
Preparation and materials
- You will need to have the means available to play the video below. It is 1.28 minutes long.
- Optional: after watching the video, you may wish to act out the poem in the ‘Extension activities’ section.
Assembly
Ask the children whether they can remember a time when they were really worried.
Ask the children if anything is worrying them at the moment.
Explain that sometimes, problems can seem enormous. Dealing with a big problem can feel like facing a giant: scary and difficult!
The following video tells a Bible story about a boy called David who faced a giant called Goliath.
Time for reflection
It must have been terrifying to fight someone as big as Goliath.
Fortunately, we’re not called upon to face actual giants these days. However, sometimes, the problems that we have to face can seem huge at the time. Perhaps we’ve been bullied - or we have a friend who is being bullied.
What should we do if we’re being bullied? Talk to an adult.
What should we do if we see someone being bullied? Talk to an adult.
Remember: Goliath was far bigger and stronger than David, but David was the one who won in the end.
You may wish to use the following prayer.
Prayer
Dear God,
When life is getting tough, help me to remember David.
When people are picking on me, help me to talk to an adult.
When life is tough for others, help me to be a good friend.
Please help us to remember that problems are always better faced together.
Amen.
Song/music
‘The climb’ by Miley Cyrus, available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG2zyeVRcbs (3.48 minutes long)
Extension activities
- In the story, David used a slingshot to defeat Goliath. Why not have a go at making one of your own and setting up a target? Some instructions on how to create a slingshot game are available at: https://makencreate.com/?p=2901
- You may wish to read the following poem and use it to act out the story.
David and Goliath by Jenny Tuxford
The Philistines were waiting
On a mountainside,
To fight their foes, the Israelites,
Across a valley wide.
Goliath was a Philistine,
A giant of a man.
He roared, ‘Who’ll come and fight me
And kill me – if he can?
‘Find a man to match me,
If you’ve anyone so brave,
And if he beats me – ha-ha-ha,
Then I will be your slave.’
Goliath said this every day,
With a very ugly grin.
The Israelites had no one
Who could hope to win.
Now David was a shepherd boy
Whose father one day said,
‘Take this food up to the camp –
Our army must be fed.’
So, David went to see them,
Taking with him cheese and bread.
And so it was he came to hear
The words the giant said.
‘I’ll fight the man,’ cried David
The shepherd to the king.
‘For with my God to help me,
I can do anything.’
Goliath wore a coat of mail,
His weapon was a spear.
He took one look at David
And laughed as he drew near.
‘You’re just a puny little boy.
Shepherd, mark my words:
I’ll kill you in an instant
And feed you to the birds.’
The man was like a mountain,
When he spoke, the people shook.
Not David, though, he calmly took
Five smooth stones from the brook.
No coat of mail for David,
No helmet for his head.
Just a shepherd’s sling and pebbles
From the riverbed.
The boy ran to the giant
And carefully took aim.
He fired the pebble from his sling
And down Goliath came!
The ammo hit the giant
Squarely on the head.
He gave a howl of agony
And there he was – stone dead!
The Israelites were cheering,
The band began to play.
The Philistines picked up their swords . . .
And quickly ran away!
A shepherd boy had killed a man
With pebbles and a sling.
He knelt before the throne of Saul –
One day he would be king.
