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 Philstine.
All fashion experts know that a handbag shouts style and statement. As my husband says when he spies the tag on a pricey item, “They are proud of that!” so the purse industry proves him correct. According to fashionlady.in, one of the most expensive handbags in the world includes the Hermes, Matte Crocodile Biking Bag, costing $ 120,000. Or, feast your eyes on the Guiness World Book of Records 2010 most expensive bag, listed at a whopping $3.8 million, with its 4,500 diamonds from Mouawad. Or, perhaps, you’d prefer something slightly more practical such as the New Age Traveler, which is a backpack with a myriad of phone cables spilling across its surface at a mere $26,000.
The most valuable purse of antiquity is found in the Bible in 1 Samuel chapter 17. Lovingly hand-stitched, and using the finest leather available, the future King David crafted his scrip. Its contents were most unusual; however, they are highly recommended for today’s Christian fashion. In his purse (man-bag) David carried stones. They were:
1. Plucked from the water
2. Worn smooth by the water as it tumbles the stones
3. Five in number
4. Kept close in a special bag made by a shepherd
5. Part of a bigger picture of staff and sling
God slips the word picture of stones into our spiritual purse so that we, like young King David, can equip ourselves in the heat of life’s battle to slay our adversary who stalks us daily. God has even shown us how to shop for the best stones. In this verse, He advises that we choose our weapons from His recommendation, plucking them from the living water of His Word. These missiles find their mark as we hurl them at the enemy, banishing his presence from besieging our spirits. The stones are mechanically engineered to sail straight to the heart of the enemy, efficiently and quickly taking him down. They were worn smooth by the testing of time until their silky surface sails through the air, unimpeded by inexperience and ignorance. There are five in all: weapons that are used exclusively to fight the giants in our lives; giants of:
1. Fear
2. Anger
3. Weakness
4. Immorality
5. Pride
The five stones that fight these giants are kept close in a special bag for quick access, fashioned lovingly by the Shepherd from His exclusive line of accessories for Christians. This accessory is called the Bible, and tucked among its zippered compartments are these five smooth weapons.
My Bible purse joins other accessories to complete my armor for daily living. Not the heavy clunky outward appearances that worldly fashion demands, but the simple solution of small stones used with deadly accuracy from long practice. They, along with the sling and the staff make my armor complete.
As I swing my lovely leather handbag, full of God’s treasures, onto my shoulder, I realize the priceless value of my purse. It is far greater than the Prada or the Hermes. The five smooth stones tucked inside are ready to empower me to slay life’s giants.
