“Sometimes people of faith do not understand that with the spirit of the Lord you are not the underdog.”

Inspiration can be found in the most unexpected places. Out-of-the box thinker Malcolm Gladwell known for books like the Tipping Point and Blink was interviewing to promote his latest book, David and Goliath. The short video was filled with surprises.

Who would imagine a staff writer for the New Yorker magazine writing about a 3000 years old Biblical account. But then he is an out-of-the-box person.

His purpose was to study situations where the powerless came up against the powerful and the dynamic for handling the encounter. Along the way he was surprised by his findings. There are many parallels in modern social interaction where the lessons learned can be applied.

Gladwell takes a fresh look at a familiar old story and concludes we may have got it all wrong all these years. He digs deep investigating the history and culture surrounding the combat.

The story is told as if David was a long shot to come out on top in the conflict. However, when one understands the power of the weapons in David’s favor the scales tip. He should have been seen as the favorite.

Gladwell discovers from the story of David and other historical accounts that the weak have three weapons they can use when confronting challenges – faith, courage, and determination. These turn out to be powerful enough to overcome their foes. Of the three weapons, Gladwell discovers that the most powerful is one’s faith. One “cannot read the story without coming away with a renewed appreciation for the power faith gives people.”

He then looks at other examples in the human annals to draw some surprising conclusions.

Tentmakers and Business as Mission practitioners will take heart as they re-visit the story of the weak confronting overwhelming odds. When giant obstacles come your way, take heart. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world.

He recently recorded a TED talk where he tells the story of David and Goliath as he understands it after his research. The reader will learn new facts about that combat and have a new appreciation for the narrative in Scripture.

This last clip from his interview while promoting his book reveals how through his research he has been drawn back to the roots of his faith. (7 minutes)

Malcolm Gladwell’s book David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants is currently #3 on the New York Times non-fiction book list.