Most people root for the underdog. The under dog is the person who for all intents and purposes is sorely disadvantaged in one or more ways. Attributes associated with the underdog are weak, small, short, poor, misunderstood, underrated, unpopular, dorky, timid, nerdy and the list goes on. 
It is this person we want to “win” to “succeed” to “slay the giant.” Unexpected victory for multiple reasons appeals to the majority. I wonder if thats because most people align their self with the weak, small, short etc? Do most identify with the underdog because they share the same characteristics of the “least likely?” If you are like me, the answer would seem to be “no”. I do not think most people generalize themselves as the “loser sort.” So if its not the “unlikely” victory our the “unexpected” outcome of the weak defeating the strong or the unpopular surpassing the popular, what is it that we identify with. Before I answer that, lets look at some well known examples of the “underdog” coming out on top.
The movie Rocky is the first that comes to mind. Sylvester Stalone played a poor husband and father in Philadelphia who makes it all the the way to the top to be a professional boxer. All the odds were stacked against him, and he becomes the champ. The theme of all the Rocky movies is that the “the heart” is almost a supernatural force that thrust this underdog to victory. How about the Karate Kid? Here is a kid who learns karate from a loony Mr. Miyagi by “painting the fence” and “waxing the car.” Again the theme of “heart” plus the secret “crane” move results in Daniel being carried on the shoulders of his team through the Dojo with chants, tears, and shouts of victory.
Of course the Biblical account of David and Goliath. Popular even in secular circles is the story of a small, young shepherd boy with the release of a stone from a hand made sling crushes skull fragments into the frontal lobe of a giant layered with the finest armor and carrying the most up to date weapons of war. With a thud the giants body creates a low lying dust cloud as his corpse collapses like a tall building to the ground. The young shepherd boy uses the lifeless giants sword to separate vertebrae and flesh and carries the head so everyone can see that the victory was complete. This launches the young shepherd into history and a victory for his people.
Let’s try a little different perspective. For what it is worth, it could be said that Goliath brought a knife to a gun fight and lost. I am sure Goliath was the most imposing of all the philistines. He was huge and freakishly tall. Added was what might have been 100 extra pounds of armor. He had an assistant carrying his shield. He demanded David come to him and fight like a man. Unlike the movies, a true slinger rarely makes more than one rotation with his sling and projectile. Its the release thats so important. The correct whip like release breaks the sound barrier and can send a smooth stone at more than 100mph with deadly accuracy. David was used to facing danger alone. Earlier in the story David made the claim that in order to defend one defenseless sheep. He pulled the lamb from the lions mouth, and holding the lion by beard, beat him to death with his bare hands. I only bring these things up to allow for a broader perspective not necessarily a different one.
Now…back to the original question, why we love the underdog. How do we identify with him or her? I don’t think its because of weakness or being a self identified loser. I think we love the underdog because we believe he “DESERVES” the victory. I think its the pride of life that we all share that allows us to identify with the person who deserves the victory more than the other. Every one of us have felt at some time or another that we deserved better than what we received. How many times have we considered our motives more pure, our ways more heart felt and yet the spoils of victory goes to the other. It’s not fair and we want fairness from our own perspective. This is why we tend to be underdog material. Its why we cheer for unnoticed when they are noticed. We want to believe the same can happen to us. We want to believe that we can win, come out on top, find victory because we deserve it.
David was the underdog and Goliath was the anticipated victor. No one else would fight him. Not only did a life hang in the balance but the lives of all Israel. The perpetual promise land vision lasts until this day. Even more important than that, God had a plan to fulfill his will for the redemption of people. That plan was for Jesus to come. The plan was that he would come through the line of David. For that to happen God wanted David to be king. For David to be king He had Samual anoint him. God used king Saul’s spiral of insanity to get David’s foot in the door as a musician for royalty. God used a lunch delivery to get David to witness the front line of battle. God used the voice of the giant philistine to cause David’s anger to burn so that David would offer his services to take care of this “Giant” problem. And he did.
The underdog won not because he deserved it, but because this particular underdog was a part of God’s much larger plan. If the plan required David to die, he would have died. (ex. Martyrdom of Stephen)
But he won the victory, not because he was better, not because he had more heart or better motive. It was God’s plan, and it so happens David had been chosen to be a part of that plan. And David CHOSE to be a part of God’s plan as well.
The point? Simply, God has a plan and a will. We have the privilege of being a part of that plan. As a part of that plan we accept our position. We have a victorious life as believers not because of what we have done, but because what HE has done.
orm…the calm is the facade of the fruit, and the storm is that which rages closely behind the mask.
pastor glen moore 