Mighty men are inspiring. People who do great things are admirable. Secretly, most folks wish they could be like that and do something that really matters. Maybe everyone can.
David was a powerful king of Israel. At his side were three men whom the Bible calls his “mighty men.” In 2 Samuel 23, you’ll find a brief listing of their notable accomplishments. One single-handedly killed 800 men in one battle. The second fought so valiantly that his “hand froze to the sword.” The third, when his troops fled, stood alone against an attacking army and turned them back.
But those feats were not their mightiest. Their mightiest deed, the one to which the Bible devotes the most ink, came in a fight against discouragement — an enemy who stalks us still.
David and his troops were battling the Philistine enemy. The invaders had captured and occupied David’s hometown. David’s army was hiding. The outlook was dismal, and, in his dejection, David made an off-hand comment about how sweet it would be to have a drink of water from his home.
Hearing that, and wanting to encourage their friend, the three mighty men, risking their lives, left camp and sneaked past enemy lines into Bethlehem to get water for David.
Can you imagine how David must have felt when those three grinning soldiers presented that jar of water to him? He was so overwhelmed with the meaning of what they had done that he declared the water too sacred to drink.
The mightiest act of the mighty men was giving a simple jar of water. But there was more than water in the jar. There was love — enough love to compel men to risk their lives for their friend. There was hope; if the three could sneak past the enemy, others could outwit them, too. There was faith; the three believed their God would protect them, not just on their quest for the water, but in following David into battle, too. They gave so much more than H2O.
Would you like to be a mighty man (or woman)? Would you like to live a powerful life that matters? Maybe all you need to do is just to give a little love, hope, and faith to someone else — a little encouragement. Maybe all it takes to be mighty is just to show someone that you care.
The world needs more mighty men.

Keith Wishum is minister, Williams Road Church, Americus.