Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 17:13-15, The three oldest sons of Jesse had gone to follow Saul to the battle. The names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. 14 David was the youngest. And the three oldest followed Saul. 15 But David occasionally went and returned from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem.
Proverbs 18:12 tells us, “Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, and before honor is humility.” What an amazing picture of this verse we have here in the life of David. The three oldest sons of Jesse were passed over by God. David, their youngest brother, was chosen to be anointed the next king of Israel. As the Philistines challenged Israel using their champion Goliath, the three sons of Jesse, who were probably hoping to prove themselves better than the chosen brother, stood by silently while Israel was threatened. However, what I would like us to note is what David is doing while all this is taking place. Let us be mindful that David has already been chosen, by King Saul, to be his armorbearer. He could have been here, on the field with Saul, also ready to prove himself. Instead of letting his position, and honor, before the king make him think more of himself than he should have, we find David back among his father’s sheep, still in the role of a servant. Such humility is honorable amongst God’s people. Romans 12:3 admonishes 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.” More importantly, James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5 also warn that God resists the proud. What we see in David is a young man who did not see tending to his father’s sheep as being beneath him, simply because he had been given such a great honor in the palace. Far too many of us let our position in society or our position in the local church go to our heads. We also expend far too much energy going after something God may not have intended for us to have. It would be wiser for us to invest our time doing the things we are already doing, with humility, and trusting God and His timing in achieving that which God has called us to. Everything that was taking place was leading to God opening up an opportunity for David to shine, but it had to happen in God’s timing. I believe that we frustrate God’s plan for our lives because we allow our pride and ambition to supersede what God wants to do in our lives. Proverbs 16:9 clearly says, “A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.” 1 Peter 5:6-7 also promises, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” I am not saying that we cannot have plans and ambitions when it comes to serving the Lord or trying to succeed in life. However, as God’s children we must be careful that our plans and ambitions do not become the idols in our lives. We must be willing to allow God to direct and change the course of our path as He sees fit. The best course of action any of us can take is to remain where we are until God moves us. When we seek after that which God has not chosen to give us, or that which God does not intend for us to have yet, we not only frustrate God’s plan for our live, but we will lead ourselves down the path of frustration, depression and the possibility of straying from God because He is not giving us what WE want, on our timetable. The three brothers, regardless of what they might have tried to accomplish in following Saul, were not going to frustrate God’s plan for David’s life; and David, because of his humility in serving God by serving his family, allowed God to work out His plan for him on the Lord’s timetable. For any of us who are followers of Jesus, the ultimate state of humility we should be striving for is expressed in Philippians 2:5-8, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.” When we surrender our pride, and live humbly before God, we open up the door for Him to continue to write the story of our lives, in His way and His time, for His glory.
Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His 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 gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).
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