“And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them.
22 Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart.
23 Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the Lord hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand.
24 For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.”
1 Samuel 30:21-14
Most of us have heard about David and Goliath; about his boldness in the face of the enemy to stand up against evil and trust God for his deliverance. When we think of David we often think of a man who was a courageous warrior, with a love for God.
But what was it that caused the LORD Himself to say David was a man after His own heart? When you look at David’s life, you find many admirable qualities, that set him apart from others. As you see how he handles great trials and set backs, you see the character and heart of a man that caused God to choose him to be king of Judah and Israel.
We all know the story of him as a boy; the fearless shepherd who looked after his Father’s sheep. He didn’t run from danger. In fact he ran toward it. When a lion or bear came after the flock, he ran after and fought the animal to recover his sheep. He was a truly good shepherd with a love for his Father’s sheep. Of course, he would be the perfect king to look after God’s sheep and to have the good shepherd Jesus Himself come through this Godly lineage.
We then look at how he was a warrior for God’s cause. When Goliath threatened Israel and caused grown soldiers to shake in their boots, David, just a boy, ran towards the battle with just sticks and stones. He knew he served the Living God and he knew His covenant rights and enforced them. He didn’t go by what he saw, he acted on what God said. He believed God’s promises and acted on them.
In addition to his great Faithfulness, he understood the office of the king and that He had to answer to the one true king – The LORD GOD. He understood the importance of respecting the anointing. He was so reverent in His respect for God’s anointing, that when Saul turned on him and tried to kill him he would not harm Saul even when he had the opportunity. He went from serving in the king’s palace, leading the king’s armies, to running for his life and hiding in caves. He could have been bitter and vengeful. He had every right to want to destroy Saul. Yet he never spoke a word against him, and did not dare harm him. There were a couple different occasions where he could have taken Saul’s life. One of which was in a cave when Saul was alone and David and his men were hiding in the same cave. Saul went to relieve himself. David’s men tried to get David to take this opportunity to kill Saul and end this unfair injustice. Yet, David respected the anointing of God so much that he would not harm him. In fact, when he simply cut a small piece of Saul’s garment to show Saul he could have killed him and try to convince him to stop going after him, he felt terrible and repented and asked God for forgiveness for even touching the king’s garment.
David had a great respect for the life of his men. When he mentioned he would faint to have water from the wells of Bethlehem, some of his mighty men snuck through enemy lines, risking their lives just to bring him a cup of water. Many kings would have drunk that water. However, David had such a respect for their lives and what they did, that he poured out the water as a drink offering to the LORD and would not drink it. It was too sacred because lives were risked to get it.
David never lost hope in God’s promises. No matter how bad the situation looked, he trusted God for his deliverance. He refused to lose hope in God’s faithfulness. He trusted Him with all his heart.
In addition, when he and his fellow soldiers came home to Ziklag (while still on the run from King Saul) they found their wives and children and possessions taken and their houses burned. David still didn’t lose heart, even when his own men talked of stoning him. He sought God’s wisdom and did as God directed. Of his six hundred men, two hundred were too weary to join in the battle and pursuit of the enemy so he left them to rest and watch over their possessions. When he and the four hundred men defeated the enemy and brought back great spoil, the men who fought did not want to share the spoil with the men who were to exhausted and weak to fight. Yet, David in his compassion and wisdom, demanded that the two hundred men partake equally of the spoil. They had given their all.
David had great compassion for others. He had a respect for life like no other king. He treated his men with great respect and love.
Even later in life when he completely missed it and committed adultery and murder, he had the strength of character to confess his sin when confronted and ask God for forgiveness. He did not deny what he did and try to get away with it. He was a man who knew how to receive correction. He was teachable (meek). He also understood the mercy and compassion of God. Probably because he showed mercy and compassion, so it was easy for him to trust God for His mercy and compassion.
David knew how to praise God. When they brought the ark of the covenant up to Jerusalem, he danced with all his might before it. His wife Michal thought it was beneath a king to act like that, but he didn’t care. He loved God and was willing to praise Him with his whole heart, even if it made him look foolish to others.
All these things together make not only for a great leader, but I believe is what caused God to say he was a man after His own heart. We can learn a lot from David and how to be a true leader. He was a humble leader that often times put the lives of his men over his own. He taught them how to have strong character and a respect for God’s commands and the anointing. He knew that although he was chosen by God to be an earthly king, that He served the King of Kings, which allowed him to remain humble and treat others with respect and dignity.
If you review his life, you see that he did his best to keep the greatest commandment, which Jesus spoke of in Mathew 22:35-40 ; the commandment to love God and love our neighbor as ourselves. Let’s also be men and women after God’s own heart! Imagine, David did all this without being born again. He did not have the benefit of having a newly recreated spirit with the Holy Spirit dwelling on the inside of him. The scriptures say that there is no one greater than John the Baptist up until the New Covenant, but now the one least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he. That is us! We are greater than the greatest man in the Old Testament! Why? Because of what God did for us through Jesus Christ. His love is now shed abroad in our hearts by faith! How much more can we walk in faith, love, respect, humility and faithfulness now that we are born again and have the glory of God dwelling on the inside of us! Praise God! How much more can we be leaders who have a respect and love for others, leading in humility and strength. Let’s be men and women after God’s own heart and trust Him with all our hearts, acting on His WORD, walking in love and kindness towards others and see great victories in our lives and in the lives of those around us! Trust in God’s faithfulness and love for you! He will never fail you nor forsake you!
Mathew 22: 35-40
“Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
Deuteronomy 31:6
“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”
Deuteronomy 7:9
“Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations;”
Hebrews 11:6
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Revelation 1:6
“And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
Luke 22:24-27
“And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.”
John 13:1-17
“So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.”
For Further reading see: 1 Samuel 24 (KJV & NIV), 1 Samuel 22-23, 1 Samuel 26, 1 Samuel 17:31-50, 2 Samuel 23:14-17; 2 Samuel 11-12, 2 Samuel 6:14-22
