By Olubunmi Adebayo
*Several people are today facing various dimensions of disqualification : in their career, in their marriage, in their business, in their studies, in their pursuits, in their endeavours.*
*Disqualification renders a fellow ineligible or unqualified for a higher position or assignment.*
*Disqualification simply means being unfit for a certain purpose or role in life. It can also be the act of being forbidden from going further in a particular direction of progress.*
*Please realize that the moment standards are set, the same parameters stand to render anymore unfit if such standards are not met.*
*Let us look at examples of standards that were put in place to disqualify people, and how such disqualifications were dismantled :*
*1) David was unqualified to be enlisted in the army of Israel.*
*This was because the age of enlistment was 20 years and above :*
*Numbers 1:[3] “From twenty years old and upward, all that are able to go forth to war in Israel: thou and Aaron shall number them by their armies”.*
*David was 17 years old at this moment and unqualified to be enlisted in the army of Israel. Therefore, there was no means of his standing up to face Goliath in the one on one contest of life or death.*
*But when the day of promotion came for David, the protocol that disqualified him was put aside.*
*This was because there was no one to stand up against Goliath, whose boasting against the army of Israel had been ongoing for 40 days!*
*By the time David appeared at the battle front, the soldiers of Israel had all been thoroughly embarrassed with shame since not one of them could stand up against Goliath and his boastful threats :*
*1 Samuel 17: [23] “And as he talked with them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the armies of the Philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them”.*
*[24]”And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid”.*
*Even at the first appearance of David, the soldiers of Israel and King Saul gave him no chance at all :*
*1 Samuel 17: [31] “And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him”.*
*[32] “And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine”.*
*[33] “And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth”.*
*But thank God for David who insisted on putting his life on the line with his testimony and unshakable faith in God :*
*1 Samuel 17: [34] “And David said unto Saul, Thy servant kept his father’s sheep, and there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock”:*
*[35] “And I went out after him, and smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth: and when he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote him, and slew him.”*
*[36] “Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear: and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.”*
*You know that? David had no sword in his hands going into this epic battle of his life :*
*1 Samuel 17: [39] “And David girded his sword upon his armour, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; for I have not proved them. And David put them off him.”*
*[40] “And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd’s bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.”*
*David had an unusual trust and unshakable faith in God, which was what the qualified and enlisted soldiers of Israel, including King Saul were all lacking.”*
*Listen to David giving us a hint of who wins the battle of life for one :*
*1 Samuel 17: [45] “Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.”*
*Tomorrow, God willing, we shall be looking at how Joseph dismantled his own disqualification.*
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©️ Olubunmi S Adebayo
