The training of leaders is a continual source of research, effort, and courses. In 1 Samuel 16:1, 7, 13 (here @ Bible Gateway), we find Samuel replacing the failed leader, Saul, with his hand-picked replacement, David.
Samuel was directed buy God to go to Jessie’s domicile and to review Jessie’s sons, one of them was to be king. Samuel was told not to look at their appearance or stature, it was the heart that the Lord was after.
Thinking through this it seems that the selection of David as king was not for David’s benefit, it was for the Lord’s purpose. We tend to view position personally. That is a position is mine. That does not seem to be the case in the Lord’s economy, a position is for the Lord, for His glory.
The Lord’s standards are different than ours, mine, or the world’s. It is not about education. It is not about leadership traits as taught by the business schools. It is about heart.
Anointing David in the presence of his brothers, set up a similar dynamic as that which Joseph faced.
It may be that the sibling were used to shape David as king.
Regardless, one thing that is clear, God does not follow good leadership theory in choosing the leaders of His people.
Samuel was directed buy God to go to Jessie’s domicile and to review Jessie’s sons, one of them was to be king. Samuel was told not to look at their appearance or stature, it was the heart that the Lord was after.
Thinking through this it seems that the selection of David as king was not for David’s benefit, it was for the Lord’s purpose. We tend to view position personally. That is a position is mine. That does not seem to be the case in the Lord’s economy, a position is for the Lord, for His glory.
The Lord’s standards are different than ours, mine, or the world’s. It is not about education. It is not about leadership traits as taught by the business schools. It is about heart.
Anointing David in the presence of his brothers, set up a similar dynamic as that which Joseph faced.
It may be that the sibling were used to shape David as king.
Regardless, one thing that is clear, God does not follow good leadership theory in choosing the leaders of His people.
I too have seen the similarities between David and Joseph, but what we don't see is whether David taunted his brothers as Joseph had done. However, we do see the animosity between his eldest brother toward David when David showed up at the battle of the valley of Elah, 1 Samuel 17:28. Maybe David did taunt his brothers while he was growing up, but I don't see that in the character of the David, the young man. What we see after the tongue lashing David received, was a leader called by God. David's action wasn't to get into a name calling argument with his brother or run home crying to his daddy (what I would have done), but to rightfully ignore his brother and listen to what God was leading him to do. It appears God had made a good choice.
ReplyDeleteGreat observation. I agree that David did not taunt. However, as we follow his life, it seems that he did not stay on the pedestal, on which we seem to place him. He has large feet of clay.
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