Aim for Humility

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 18:10-11, And it happened on the next day that the distressing spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied inside the house. So David played music with his hand, as at other times; but there was a spear in Saul’s hand. 11 And Saul cast the spear, for he said, “I will pin David to the wall!” But David escaped his presence twice.

Once again we see the “distressing spirit from God” moving in Saul’s life. It is a distressing spirit that accentuated Saul’s pride, insecurities and jealousies toward David. Once Saul became jealous of David, his aim became to kill David. However, we will get back to Saul later. Right now I would like us to focus on David and his attitude toward serving Saul. Here we have a young man who was originally brought into the palace to play for Saul, but we soon after find him back at home taking care of his family’s sheep, as before (1 Samuel 16). Then he goes out to the battlefield, challenges and defeats Goliath, and is promoted by Saul (1 Samuel 17-18). He serves Saul wisely, and is successful in leading the men in battle against the Philistines. He earns praise from the people, but it also wins him persecution from the one who we are told loved him, Saul (1 Samuel 16; 18). It is easy to say that David’s life is one of excitement and one that would make any young man be filled with pride. Sadly, I see far too many of us become prideful when God begins to use us and accomplish great things through us. We quickly forget that all our accomplishments are for the glory of God and not self. This is the reason why we must actively remind ourselves that we are to decrease and the Lord increase in our lives, so that others see more of Him than they see of us, in our attitude and actions (John 3:30). David did not see serving Saul, using his musical ability, as being beneath him simply because he was now a successful warrior who had great successes on the battlefield. We go down a slippery slope when we begin to think more of ourselves than we should. Romans 12:3 reminds us, “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” Galatians 6:3 warns, “For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” Saul’s aim was to kill David, while David’s aim was to continue serving God with humility, even if it meant trying to serve Saul, the man who wanted to take his life. When we are tempted to see some task or service as beneath us, let us remember James 4:6, “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’” Regardless of where God leads us, or how He uses us, our aim in serving should always be to do it with humility; as we are told in Colossians 3:12, Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering”.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).