Subject: Counsel and Good Leadershp - 1 Samuel 21-25

1 Samuel 24:4-7 (ESV Strong's)
And the men of David said to him, “Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.’” Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul's robe. And afterward David's heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul's robe. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the Lord's anointed.” So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way.

Subject:  Leadership and Counsel

Beware of the counsel of friends who don't read God's Word on a regular basis.  In the above story, David's friends meant well but did not know God's Word.  David did not yet have Romans 12 that tells us to let God be the avenger and pay back evil for evil.   Had he had that passage he could have told his men that Paul writes to give our enemies cold water when they are thirsty.   Yet, that passage in Romans 12 is based off of what David's son, not yet born at the time of this story, Solomon, will write in several of the Proverbs.   Not rending evil for evil is often repeated in the book of Proverbs.   But, David had the teaching of Moses and the teaching of Joshua and what he learned from Samuel.   David knew the character of God.  He knew that taking vengeance upon whom God had anointed to be king would be contrary to God's character and God's Word.  His men did not.   It would have been popular with his men for David to kill Saul.  Remember, his men were on the run from Saul, as well.   David didn't follow the counsel of his friend, or seek popularity in his decision making.   David sought to do what was right before God, even, perhaps, to his own demise.    Leadership was needed in this situation and that is what David brought.  It says in the end that David "persuaded" his men with his words.   That is what great leaders do: They follow the principles of life and persuade others to follow them also; even if it is unpopular.