Hiding In The Back

Do you feel out of place?

The Greek polymath Archimedes once said “give me a place to stand and a lever long enough and I will move the world.” In this dictum, Archimedes was employing the concept of leverage from the discipline of physics to extract a larger principle of success. The principle is that you can move something physically larger and heavier if you position a lever at the proper point. How much you can move and how far it can be moved all depends on where you place the lever.

As in physics, so also in life. Many of us can’t get the results that we desire because we are out of place. Position is everything! This principle has a countless range of applications. Consider the old adage about real estate. It is said that there are only three rules in any real estate transaction: location, location, and location. A shoebox in a great location is worth infinitely more than a mansion in nowheresville.

This is why the enemy spends so much time trying to get us out of position. A friend of mine says “if you have to ask yourself is this the promise land” you probably are not in it. Something deep within us knows when we are around the type of people, doing the type of work, and functioning in the type of environment for which we were designed. All of us can “make something fit,” but doing so only results in delaying the inevitable conflicts and enormous frustrations that accompany knowing that you are out of place. So again, I raise the question: Do you feel out of place?

If so, I’ve got some good news and some bad news. I’ll give you the bad news first.

Here’s the bad news: if you are out of place, you probably aren’t the only one who knows it. Others often know that we are out of place before we do. During my tenure at a former job, one of the senior managers walked up to me unannounced and said “if you stay here longer than 5 years, I will know that something is very wrong with you! He knew about me what 1 Samuel 29:1-5 tells us that the Philistines knew about David: that he was out of place.

In that scripture, David is preparing to go to war with the Philistines. He has been living among them, hiding from Saul, who has been trying to kill him. As they head into battle, some of the Philistines note David’s presence, and express their concern:

As the Philistine warlords marched forward by regiments and divisions, David and his men were bringing up the rear with Achish. The Philistine officers said, “What business do these Hebrews have being here?”

Achish answered the officers, “Don’t you recognize David, ex-servant of King Saul of Israel? He’s been with me a long time. I’ve found nothing to be suspicious of, nothing to complain about, from the day he defected from Saul until now.”

Angry with Achish, the Philistine officers said, “Send this man back to where he came from. Let him stick to his normal duties. He’s not going into battle with us. He’d switch sides in the middle of the fight! What better chance to get back in favor with his master than by stabbing us in the back! Isn’t this the same David they celebrate at their parties, singing,

Saul kills by the thousand,

David by the ten thousand!”

The scripture says that “David was bringing up the rear.” But even though he was hiding in the back, he still couldn’t be hid. The Philistines recognized that even though he was in the back, he didn’t belong there. This was still the David who had killed Goliath. His presence in the back did not change the fact that he was a giant killer. They correctly concluded that it was not in their best interest (or his, for that matter), for David to remain where he was. So for those of you who have been hiding in the back, I’ve got some bad news: you are going to be exposed! Someone is getting ready to tell on you.

Someone who knows how gifted you are is going to tell on you!

Someone is going to tell your boss that it was really your idea.

Someone is going to tell a qualified suitor that you are marriage material.

Someone is going to tell a well positioned decision-maker that you deserve the opportunity.

Someone is going to repost your video and share your song.

Someone is going to tell the world that you are a giant killer in disguise.

For all of you giant killers who have been hiding in the back of your classroom, hiding in the back of your office, and hiding in the back of your church, I’ve got some bad news for you. The bad news is that you are going to be exposed!

But fear not and take courage O ye giant killers! I also have some good news. The good news is that God is going to change your address.

So many of us have been been hiding in the back for so long that it has become comfortable. In fact, many of us have almost come to the conclusion that being in the back is our permanent address. But kindly accept my apologies for having to disappoint you. You were not born to bring up the rear. You were born to stand at the front of the line! Be prepared, and remember the day of this prophecy. God is going to orchestrate a situation that is designed to change your location!

God not only moved David from the back. God moved David away from Achish and away from the Philistines, all the way to the throne of Israel—which is where he belonged. Even before David was officially seated on the throne, the scripture says that “all of Israel and Judah loved David because he went out and came in before them.” David wasn’t born to be in the back. He was born to be in front.

And so were you.