Biblical Leadership Showcase—David : a man after God’s own heart

When we think of King David, we tend to visualize his encounter with Goliath where he levels the giant with only a sling and chops off his head. It is no doubt part of his legacy. David’s life is an amazing story of God’s grace, protection, forgiveness and love. Ever since I can remember, I have always considered David among my favorite heroes/leaders of the Bible, and his life’s story has most certainly made an impact on me.

When we take a look at David’s life, we are able to see just how deep he really was. First of all, he was a man who loved God. Just take one look at his Psalms and you can see his heart for God. His songs of praise are filled with love for God, and express complete awe in His majesty.

 

A CLOSER LOOK AT DAVID:

The Good…

God Himself said that David was a man after his own heart. Of all the kings of Israel, it could probably be said that David was the one most loyal to God.  Even from a youth he was devoted to God, and would seek His will in all things. God loved David so much that he even spared his son Solomon on his father’s behalf—long after David had already died. That shows just how close David was to God.

The Bad…

Yes, David messed up big time…but he repented and turned back to God, and God restored him (the perfect example of God’s grace and forgiveness). We all know the story of David and Bathsheba, and we recognize this as a VERY big mistake in David’s life. But he turned back to God and made it through that dark time in his life. Even after all of this, God still said that David was a man after His own heart.

…And the Legacy

David was very close to God, and God honored David because of his loyalty to Him. Even when his son, Solomon, went off to worship other gods, God spared him for his father David’s sake. David was a great leader because he depended on God, and looked to Him for guidance. True Christian leaders need to learn from his example. After all, if God is in control, and has all the answers, why not turn to Him when you have problems?

 

WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM DAVID’S STORY:

We can learn a lot from David’s story, and we can take away so much from the relationship David had with God…

-       God can use anyone, no matter how young you might be. For goodness’s sake, David was nothing more than a shepherd when he killed Goliath, and he became Israel’s Greatest Hero. Don’t ever sell yourself short! God had a plan for David, and He has a plan for you, too.

 

-       David trusted God to see him through the struggles of life. When he faced Goliath, when King Saul wanted him dead, and when he fought in countless battles, David always trusted in God. We need to focus on trusting God. It’s not always that easy though; we like to try to do things using our own strength. Sometimes it’s almost as if we are trying to “prove” to God that we don’t really need Him in every aspect of our lives. I can speak from experience, because I have done the exact same thing…and I still do it. The importance of trusting God has been a lifelong lesson for me, and I think it is safe to say that I will continue to be taught that lesson as long as I live. It’s easy to take for granted that we can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4:13), but we conveniently forget what Jesus said in John 15:5: “Apart from me, you can do nothing.”

 

-       David wasn’t perfect, and neither are we. We are fallen human beings, born into a sinful world…and we are going to mess up in life. God knows all the mistakes we are going to make before we even make them, and He loves us just the same. He didn’t give up on David, and He isn’t going to give up on you. No matter how many times we fall on our faces, God is always there to pick us back up.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I have always been inspired by David’s life. I am still amazed at his story even today. He truly lived a remarkable life, and really showed everyone what it means to be someone who is fixed on God. David’s life is an example of the potential that we as Christians have when we fix our eyes on God, and trust in His plans for us. That doesn’t mean life will be easy for us – not by a long shot. David knew that life could be very hard at times (just read his Psalms and see for yourself). But he always trusted in God to see him through, just as we should always trust in Him to see us through life.

We aren’t here to live an easy life without any problems, trials, tragedies, etc. Those will inevitably come.  But we are here to live in the Victory of Christ, and to be shining lights through all the darkness in our lives. Just remember what Jesus said in John 16:33…
 “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”