You might want to fast-forward through the graphic violence in chapter 15, but don’t skip the leader lesson that Saul learned. The people were under his charge. He had the responsibility under God to lead them on God’s mission. His fear of the people led him to compromise the mission. The Lord wanted to obliterate the Amalekites from the land. The people wanted to win the battle — and keep the best of the spoils. Saul knew that everything had to be devoted to destruction. He caved in under people pressure, and lost his right to rule.
David was anointed — as it were — secretly, but already we see glimpses of the man of God that he is to become. His identity is not yet marked by his leadership skills, but by his talents as a musician and the fact that he is “a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the LORD is with him” (1 Samuel 16:18, ESV). This is not the little kid we see in the cartoons who has nothing but courage. The elements that make him stand out are all there. Samuel’s choice was correct. As a servant (shepherd, musician, armor bearer) David is learning to be the leader he will become.
Seeing both of these chapters together can be helpful, because they both highlight a leadership lesson. Saul, the appointed leader, focused on giving the people what they wanted and pretended to honor God. David, the anointed leader, patiently served and maintained his personal integrity. He had the Spirit of God (16:13). But that did not stop him from serving. He went from tending the sheep to tending Saul’s needs.
The best leaders are those who serve with integrity.
Jefferson Vann, Williamsburg, Va.
