Finish: Imitating An Imperfect KingSample

Long before Samuel anointed David, God had already begun preparing David to be king. David was the youngest of many brothers. As a result, he learned humility. David was alone for long stretches of time as he guarded his sheep, thinking about God, witnessing God’s power and majesty displayed in nature, and coming to terms with his own insignificance by comparison. As a result, he learned reverence before God.  David had to defend his sheep against predators—he killed a lion and a bear with his bare hands! As a result, he learned courage.

If David ever wondered how he would go from shepherd boy to king, he needn’t have. As usual, God took care of all the details, putting him in the right place at the right time, surrounding him with the right people, and giving him plenty of opportunities to grow and learn and prove himself a worthy leader to those who would one day follow him.

First, God plucked David out of the pastures and plopped him right into King Saul’s inner circle, where he could observe the running of the kingdom. As per usual, David was a good steward with that opportunity and did his best at the job he was given. 

Next, God gave David the opportunity and ability to do what no other member of King Saul’s army had been able or willing to do, bring down Goliath the Philistine, increasing his military experience and growing his reputation as a courageous warrior worth following. When it was over, David gave God all the credit instead of hogging the attention for himself. 

Thank God for giving you opportunities to learn and grow in preparation for your individual assignment in His Kingdom.