1 Samuel 24:12-15 (ESV Strong's)
May the Lord judge between me and you, may the Lord avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you. As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Out of the wicked comes wickedness.’ But my hand shall not be against you. After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea! May the Lord therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand.”
Tag: Leadership and Humility
David, in the above verse, is talking to King Saul. Saul is in the midst of hunting for David. The king had gone into a cave to relieve himself and did not know that David and his men were in the cave. Dave could have killed him when he was vulnerable. But, David spared Saul and remembered that the King was anointed by God (v. 6). As the King is descending down the mountain, after this event, David shouts down to him and tells him, “I could have killed you.” In the above passage we see David doing something remarkable. David, too, was anointed by Samuel to be king. David knew that God had removed the Kingship away from Saul and had promised it to him. David knew that Saul was a mad man. David knew that his men wanted him to be king and he had their full support. David knew that even the enemies of Israel marveled at David’s warring ability. David knew that he had Saul’s son, Jonathon, full support. No one reading the story would have thought different of David if he had killed Saul. But, David knew better. He knew that, in God’s timing, God would put him where He wanted him. In the above passage he doesn’t claim “royal status.” He claims he is but a flea on the back of a dog, as compared to Saul. This goes contrary to any modern day leader. Today’s leader would be claiming how great they are. Just listen to the political leaders today; or the leaders in sport; or CEO’s before their boards. Leaders don’t call themselves “fleas on the back of dogs.” David had Spirit filled Humility. In Galatians, Paul calls this “gentleness.”
Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV Strong's)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
David was willing to trust God with his life and was able to be humble because God was producing in him the Fruit of the Spirit. The humility that David showed can only be produced by the Spirit of God in your life. Men are not naturally humble. Great leadership, led by the Spirit, will be humble leadership.
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