God wants you to be... eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock...
“The Last words of David: David son of Jesse says, and the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel says...
The God of Israel spoke, the Rock over Israel said to me, 'When one rules over men righteously, ruling in the fear of God, He dawns on them like the morning light when the sun rises on a cloudless morning, when the tender grass springs out of the earth through clear shining after rain.'
Truly does not my house stand so with God? For He has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure. For will He not cause to prosper all my help and my desire?” (2 Samuel 23:3-5)
Commentary notes, “David voiced God’s expectations for rulers. Bringing blessing like the light dawn after the rain, like a clear morning, like tender grass—each of these similes speaks of new life, purity, and refreshment. The function of the king was not to impoverish the nation. Instead, the king was to ennoble the people as he presented to them the refreshing will of God.” [1]
In some translations, it says, “Although my house be not so with God” in verse 5. Commentary notes about this, “David realized that he had not been perfect, but he fully trusted in God to provide whatever is needed in the future to give rise to a righteous king.” [2]
David was thinking back to the promise God made to him that God would establish the throne of his kingdom forever. In 2 Samuel 7:16 God told David, “And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before you; your throne shall be established forever.”
Commentary notes, “ An everlasting covenant. This is David’s hope for the future of his house; it is the ground of his prophetic insight into the future. The covenant is expressed in II Samuel 7:8–16 and in the ultimate sense refers to the Son of David expectation fulfilled in Jesus Christ.” [3]
God was looking for a faithful son to inherit His kingdom. While David made many mistakes and sinned along the way, his heart was continually to seek God and put His will first over pleasing man. David was not faithful in the sense that he never got his sights off God or behaved appropriately, but that when he realized he chose wrongly, he turned and repented.
Philip Yancey writes in his forward of, All is Grace about Brennan Manning, “He admits in these pages to having broken all Ten Commandments several times over (murder, Brennan?). Each time he begged for forgiveness, repented to God and to his friends, and got up off the floor to keep walking. Like Christian, the everyman character in The Pilgrim's Progress, he progressed not by always making right decisions but by responding appropriately to the wrong ones.” [4]
Saul on the other hand chose to please people instead of God. He had fell into idolatry and genuinely cared more for what the people thought of him and that he was honored in his position than God.
Samuel had told the people when they asked for a king and they realized they had sinned, “Only fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; for consider how great are the things He has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, both you and your king shall be swept away.” (1 Samuel 12:24-25)
When Saul saw the men of Israel were scattering because the Philistines gathered to fight with Israel, Saul became nervous and offered the burnt offering to God (which he was forbidden to do) rather than waiting for Samuel.
When Samuel confronted him about this, rather than repent, Saul defended himself and made excuses. Samuel went on to tell him in 1 Samuel 13:13, “You have done foolishly! You have not kept the commandments of your God which He commanded you; for the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.”
The Lord says in Exodus 20:3,5-6, “You shall have no other gods before or besides Me... You shall not bow down yourselves to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, But showing mercy and steadfast love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.”
Samuel went on to tell Saul in 1 Samuel 13:14, “But now your kingdom shall not continue; the Lord has sought out [David] a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince and ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded You.”
Saul never repented (turned from his sin of idolatry) but he continued along the same path. He looked and went through the motions of someone who was God-fearing but he was really more concerned about his approval and his position. When Saul chose to 'honor God' it was full of self-interest and was at the expense of someone else rather than himself.
For example, when Saul did not hear from God on going down after the Philistines, he began to cast lots to see whose sin had caused God to be silent. He promised that whoever it was that caused this, would surely die (1 Samuel 14:39). After casting lots, when they came out pointing to Jonathan, Saul discovered he had tasted a little honey when Saul had commanded that no one eat food before evening, Saul ordered him to die (1 Samuel 14:44).
What mattered to Saul was his own dignity and honor. He wanted to win with the Philistines because he wanted to look successful in the people's eyes. And when his very own son got in the way of his success and honor, he was quickly ready to cause his demise.
Yet Saul asked for mercy for himself when he was caught in much greater sins -even though he never repented to God. In 1 Samuel 15, Saul had brought Agag king of Amalek back and kept the best spoil. Rather than repent, he made an excuse and claimed it was to offer to God.
Samuel told him in 1 Samuel 15:23, “Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king. Then Saul begged Samuel for mercy. Not because he felt bad about his sin against God but because he was afraid Samuel would not honor him and the people would turn against him.
In 1 Samuel 15:30 Saul says, “I have sinned; yet honor me now, I pray you, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord your God.”
What matters to God is the genuine heart towards God and desire to repent for our sins. “We all need grace... how sweet the sound that saves a wretch like me” sings in the background.
When the prodigal son came home in Luke 15 he expected to be treated as he deserved – as a slave that had squandered his inheritance. Instead, his father was generous with him. His father ran out to meet him and embraced him. He put the best robe on him, gave him a ring and sandals, and made him a feast. He fully restored his son. And to the older son who was faithful all along, the father told him “you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.”
While the prodigal son was squandering his inheritance, his father did not rescue him from this. It was only once the son turned from his sin, learned his lesson and turned back to his father. When he did, he was not kept at an arms length or required to prove his worth, or even earn back his position. He was fully restored and forgiven out of grace.
“All the debts are paid. We're gonna be okay... There will be a day when love will show its face and wipe the tears away and all will stand amazed” sings in the background.
David was invited to see how God was a God of restoration in 2 Samuel 14. David was confronted by the woman of Tekoah for leaving his son Absalom, who had sinned greatly, banished and not bringing him back.
In 2 Samuel 14:13-14 the woman of Tekoah told him, “For in speaking this word the king is like one who is guilty, in that [he] does not bring home his banished one. We all must die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. And God does not take away life, but devises means so that he who is banished may not be an utter outcast from Him.”
However, as Absalom was brought back into the land, he never repented nor was he restored. He was angry and bitter towards David. David had continued to ignore the underlying conflict between them about the injustice done to Tamar. As a result, rather than genuinely turn his life around, Absalom made every effort to undermine David. Eventually he won the hearts of the people away from David and took the kingdom from him. He even got David's best friend and counsel, Ahithophel to turn against him. ( 2 Samuel 15-17)
In Isaiah 58, God confronted the leadership for their lack of repentance and hard heartedness towards God. They were going through the motions of seeking after Him, but their motives were worldly. They wanted God to bless them and give them 'righteous judgments.' God told them to stop seeking their own success and profit in their business, driving hard their workers and extorting from them by not paying them a fair wage. He wanted them to repent.
God instead told them to care about those who worked for them. They were supposed to help people get free from oppression rather than being the oppressor. They were to meet the needs of those around them and share their bread with those who are hungry rather than take advantage of them for their own benefit. And rather than closing out those who were not a benefit to their bottom line, they were to make time for people -especially family.
God told them in Isaiah 58:8, “Then shall your light break forth like the morning, and your healing (your restoration and the power of a new life) shall spring forth speedily; your righteousness (your rightness, your justice, and your right relationship with God) shall go before you [conducting you to peace and prosperity], and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.”
As noted previously by commentary, the function of the leader was not to impoverish the people by using them for their own gain. [5] This is clearly seen as the way of the world. Instead, the leader is to add value to the people and empower them, giving them an inheritance and making them more rather than diminished.
Saul often wavered between seeking to please the people to gain their approval and then using and driving people for his benefit. In 1 Samuel 14:24 it says about a day where the Lord had delivered the people of Israel in battle, “But the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had caused them to take an oath, saying, Cursed be the man who eats any food before evening and until I have taken vengeance on my enemies. So none of the men tasted any food.”
Later it notes that the men of Israel were exhausted and very faint. They were totally depleted. Saul's concern was not for the condition of his men but in delivering results and obtaining the victory so he could look good. When the men of Israel finally came upon the spoil from the victory they began to eat the sheep, oxen and calves raw with blood in them. (1 Samuel 14:32)
David on the other hand genuinely cared about people. He gave them an inheritance rather than take from them and drive them into the ground for his own gain. He also did not compete with his people but drew the best out of them and gave them room to grow. David came along side of his people, invested in them, modeled the fear of the Lord and empowered them.
In 2 Samuel 23:15-167, when David was hiding in the cave of Addullam he was longing for a drink from the well at Bethlehem. Three of his mighty men heard him speaking about this and broke through the army of the Philistines and drew him water from the well of Bethlehem by the gate and brought it to David. He refused to drink it and poured it out before the Lord.
In 2 Samuel 23:17 David said, “Be it far from me, O Lord, to drink this. Is it not [the same as] the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives? So he would not drink it.”
David feared the Lord and put Him first in his life. David cared most of all what God thought. Kings were 'expected' to always act dignified in public. In 2 Samuel 6:16 Michal, David's wife, saw him leaping and dancing in public while he was wearing priestly linen garments rather than acting dignified in kingly robes. She despised David for it.
She had learned how important keeping up impressions were from her father Saul.
Michal confronted him on it and David told her, “It was before the Lord, Who chose me above your father and all his house to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord. Therefore will I make merry [in pure enjoyment] before the Lord. I will be still more lightly esteemed than this, and will humble and lower myself in my own sight [and yours]. But by the maids you mentioned, I will be held in honor.” (2 Samuel 6:21-22)
David led by grace rather than judgment and criticism. The people who sought him out as a leader were those who desperately needed to taste grace for themselves. It says in 1 Samuel 22:2 when David was hiding from Saul because he wanted to kill him, “And everyone in distress or in debt or discontented gathered to him, and he became a commander over them. And there were with him about 400 men.”
David was constantly teaching the people who followed him what was right in God's eyes and how to fear the Lord. In 1 Samuel 26, David took the water jug and spear by Saul while he was sleeping at night when he was out in the wilderness hunting down David. David then when he got a safe distance away woke Saul and told him about it. Rather than do him any harm, he worked to bring peace in their relationship.
In 1 Samuel 26:22-24 David told Saul, “See the king's spear! Let one of the young men come and get it. The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered you into my hands today, but I would not stretch forth my hand against the Lord's anointed. And behold, as your life was precious today in my sight, so let my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation.”
David also didn't get threatened when things didn't go his way. After receiving God's promise to be king over Israel, he was received by the house of Judah while the rest of Israel rebelled and chose another leader. In 2 Samuel 2:10 Ish-bosheth was anointed king over Israel.
David did not become indignant or react in a retaliatory manner, taking matters into his own hands. Instead he waited seven and a half more years for God to bring his promises to pass. Then when he was fully established, 2 Samuel 5:12 says David “perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel and that He had exalted his kingdom for His people Israel's sake.”
David saw that his calling as king was not to give him a position of power but to serve the people. His first responsibility was the benefit of the people he served and meeting their needs. The Wikipedia notes about servant leadership, “The general concept is ancient. Chanakya wrote, in the 4th century B.C., in his book Arthashastra:
As the Wikipedia mentions, servant leadership is an obligation to help and serve others. They write, “Openness and persuasion are more important than control.” And note that a person who is a servant leader is committed to the growth of their people. [7]
The Wikipedia goes on to mention , “A servant leader is convinced that people have an intrinsic value beyond their contributions as workers. Therefore, she should nurture the personal, professional and spiritual growth of employees. For example, she spends money for the personal and professional development of the people who make up her organization. The servant leader will also encourage the ideas of everyone and involve workers in decision making.” [8]
In another note, the Wikipedia notes, “Unlike leadership approaches with a top-down hierarchical style, servant leadership instead emphasizes collaboration, trust, empathy, and the ethical use of power. At heart, the individual is a servant first, making the conscious decision to lead in order to better serve others, not to increase their own power. The objective is to enhance the growth of individuals in the organization and increase teamwork and personal involvement.” [9]
To enter into servant leadership, one needs humility. David was someone with a great deal of humility. He did not have a sense of self importance which allowed him to put himself aside and help others get ahead. It also freed him from having to defend his own ego. When David was being hunted down by Saul he told him, “After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog? After a flea?”
An article on servant leadership by Regent University notes:
At the root of servant leadership is love. One must love the people they serve and want them to see them flourish rather than diminish. They genuinely care about people, learn from people, make room for them, call the best out of them, and add value to their lives wherever possible. They take time to get to know who people are and what is important to them.
Love is evident by the fruit that is produced. Rather than burn people out, David built people up. 2 Samuel 23 outlines the “mighty men whom David had.” Many of them accomplished tremendous feats in battle and slew their own Goliath. And it was obvious that they knew they were cared about as they would even storm through the line of the Philistine army to draw water out of a well and bring it to David. (2 Samuel 23:16)
Lord, forgive me where I have allowed myself to be conformed to the system of the world around me rather than serving others out of love. I find it hard to keep my footing in a fast paced environment that does not always feel conducive to servant leadership. Help me to live by my values and who you made me to be rather than by trying to live up to other's expectations. And help me to love and serve those above me as well as those below me well.
I pray the quote I have in my prayer room wall over us, “Let every day be a day of humility; [Let us] condescend to all the weaknesses and infirmities of [our] fellow creatures; cover their frailties, love their excellencies, encourage their virtues, relieve their wants, rejoice in their prosperities, compassionate their distress, receive their friendship, overlook their unkindness, forgive their malice, be a servant of servants.”
1. Radmacher, Earl D. ; Allen, Ronald Barclay ; House, H. Wayne: The Nelson Study Bible : New King James Version. Nashville : T. Nelson Publishers, 1997, S. 2 Sa 23:3
2, 3, 5. KJV Bible Commentary. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1994, S. 632
4. Manning, Brennan. All is Grace: A Ragamuffin Memoir. David C Cook. Colorado Springs, Co. 2011.
6-9. Wikipedia. Servant Leadership. Located at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servant_leadership#Characteristics_of_being_a_servant_leader Last Accessed: 11/9/11.
10. Waddell, Jane T. Regent University: School of Leadership Studies. “Servant Leadership.” Servant Leadership Research Roundtable, August 2006. Article Located at: http://regent.edu/acad/global/publications/sl_proceedings/2006/waddell.pdf Last Accessed: 11/9/11.
Most Scripture quotations take from The Amplified Bible. Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by the Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)1987 by the Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)
The God of Israel spoke, the Rock over Israel said to me, 'When one rules over men righteously, ruling in the fear of God, He dawns on them like the morning light when the sun rises on a cloudless morning, when the tender grass springs out of the earth through clear shining after rain.'
Truly does not my house stand so with God? For He has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure. For will He not cause to prosper all my help and my desire?” (2 Samuel 23:3-5)
Commentary notes, “David voiced God’s expectations for rulers. Bringing blessing like the light dawn after the rain, like a clear morning, like tender grass—each of these similes speaks of new life, purity, and refreshment. The function of the king was not to impoverish the nation. Instead, the king was to ennoble the people as he presented to them the refreshing will of God.” [1]
In some translations, it says, “Although my house be not so with God” in verse 5. Commentary notes about this, “David realized that he had not been perfect, but he fully trusted in God to provide whatever is needed in the future to give rise to a righteous king.” [2]
David was thinking back to the promise God made to him that God would establish the throne of his kingdom forever. In 2 Samuel 7:16 God told David, “And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before you; your throne shall be established forever.”
Commentary notes, “ An everlasting covenant. This is David’s hope for the future of his house; it is the ground of his prophetic insight into the future. The covenant is expressed in II Samuel 7:8–16 and in the ultimate sense refers to the Son of David expectation fulfilled in Jesus Christ.” [3]
God was looking for a faithful son to inherit His kingdom. While David made many mistakes and sinned along the way, his heart was continually to seek God and put His will first over pleasing man. David was not faithful in the sense that he never got his sights off God or behaved appropriately, but that when he realized he chose wrongly, he turned and repented.
Philip Yancey writes in his forward of, All is Grace about Brennan Manning, “He admits in these pages to having broken all Ten Commandments several times over (murder, Brennan?). Each time he begged for forgiveness, repented to God and to his friends, and got up off the floor to keep walking. Like Christian, the everyman character in The Pilgrim's Progress, he progressed not by always making right decisions but by responding appropriately to the wrong ones.” [4]
Saul on the other hand chose to please people instead of God. He had fell into idolatry and genuinely cared more for what the people thought of him and that he was honored in his position than God.
Samuel had told the people when they asked for a king and they realized they had sinned, “Only fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully with all your heart; for consider how great are the things He has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, both you and your king shall be swept away.” (1 Samuel 12:24-25)
When Saul saw the men of Israel were scattering because the Philistines gathered to fight with Israel, Saul became nervous and offered the burnt offering to God (which he was forbidden to do) rather than waiting for Samuel.
When Samuel confronted him about this, rather than repent, Saul defended himself and made excuses. Samuel went on to tell him in 1 Samuel 13:13, “You have done foolishly! You have not kept the commandments of your God which He commanded you; for the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever.”
The Lord says in Exodus 20:3,5-6, “You shall have no other gods before or besides Me... You shall not bow down yourselves to them or serve them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, But showing mercy and steadfast love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments.”
Samuel went on to tell Saul in 1 Samuel 13:14, “But now your kingdom shall not continue; the Lord has sought out [David] a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince and ruler over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded You.”
Saul never repented (turned from his sin of idolatry) but he continued along the same path. He looked and went through the motions of someone who was God-fearing but he was really more concerned about his approval and his position. When Saul chose to 'honor God' it was full of self-interest and was at the expense of someone else rather than himself.
For example, when Saul did not hear from God on going down after the Philistines, he began to cast lots to see whose sin had caused God to be silent. He promised that whoever it was that caused this, would surely die (1 Samuel 14:39). After casting lots, when they came out pointing to Jonathan, Saul discovered he had tasted a little honey when Saul had commanded that no one eat food before evening, Saul ordered him to die (1 Samuel 14:44).
What mattered to Saul was his own dignity and honor. He wanted to win with the Philistines because he wanted to look successful in the people's eyes. And when his very own son got in the way of his success and honor, he was quickly ready to cause his demise.
Yet Saul asked for mercy for himself when he was caught in much greater sins -even though he never repented to God. In 1 Samuel 15, Saul had brought Agag king of Amalek back and kept the best spoil. Rather than repent, he made an excuse and claimed it was to offer to God.
Samuel told him in 1 Samuel 15:23, “Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king. Then Saul begged Samuel for mercy. Not because he felt bad about his sin against God but because he was afraid Samuel would not honor him and the people would turn against him.
In 1 Samuel 15:30 Saul says, “I have sinned; yet honor me now, I pray you, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord your God.”
What matters to God is the genuine heart towards God and desire to repent for our sins. “We all need grace... how sweet the sound that saves a wretch like me” sings in the background.
When the prodigal son came home in Luke 15 he expected to be treated as he deserved – as a slave that had squandered his inheritance. Instead, his father was generous with him. His father ran out to meet him and embraced him. He put the best robe on him, gave him a ring and sandals, and made him a feast. He fully restored his son. And to the older son who was faithful all along, the father told him “you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.”
While the prodigal son was squandering his inheritance, his father did not rescue him from this. It was only once the son turned from his sin, learned his lesson and turned back to his father. When he did, he was not kept at an arms length or required to prove his worth, or even earn back his position. He was fully restored and forgiven out of grace.
“All the debts are paid. We're gonna be okay... There will be a day when love will show its face and wipe the tears away and all will stand amazed” sings in the background.
David was invited to see how God was a God of restoration in 2 Samuel 14. David was confronted by the woman of Tekoah for leaving his son Absalom, who had sinned greatly, banished and not bringing him back.
In 2 Samuel 14:13-14 the woman of Tekoah told him, “For in speaking this word the king is like one who is guilty, in that [he] does not bring home his banished one. We all must die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. And God does not take away life, but devises means so that he who is banished may not be an utter outcast from Him.”
However, as Absalom was brought back into the land, he never repented nor was he restored. He was angry and bitter towards David. David had continued to ignore the underlying conflict between them about the injustice done to Tamar. As a result, rather than genuinely turn his life around, Absalom made every effort to undermine David. Eventually he won the hearts of the people away from David and took the kingdom from him. He even got David's best friend and counsel, Ahithophel to turn against him. ( 2 Samuel 15-17)
In Isaiah 58, God confronted the leadership for their lack of repentance and hard heartedness towards God. They were going through the motions of seeking after Him, but their motives were worldly. They wanted God to bless them and give them 'righteous judgments.' God told them to stop seeking their own success and profit in their business, driving hard their workers and extorting from them by not paying them a fair wage. He wanted them to repent.
God instead told them to care about those who worked for them. They were supposed to help people get free from oppression rather than being the oppressor. They were to meet the needs of those around them and share their bread with those who are hungry rather than take advantage of them for their own benefit. And rather than closing out those who were not a benefit to their bottom line, they were to make time for people -especially family.
God told them in Isaiah 58:8, “Then shall your light break forth like the morning, and your healing (your restoration and the power of a new life) shall spring forth speedily; your righteousness (your rightness, your justice, and your right relationship with God) shall go before you [conducting you to peace and prosperity], and the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.”
As noted previously by commentary, the function of the leader was not to impoverish the people by using them for their own gain. [5] This is clearly seen as the way of the world. Instead, the leader is to add value to the people and empower them, giving them an inheritance and making them more rather than diminished.
Saul often wavered between seeking to please the people to gain their approval and then using and driving people for his benefit. In 1 Samuel 14:24 it says about a day where the Lord had delivered the people of Israel in battle, “But the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had caused them to take an oath, saying, Cursed be the man who eats any food before evening and until I have taken vengeance on my enemies. So none of the men tasted any food.”
Later it notes that the men of Israel were exhausted and very faint. They were totally depleted. Saul's concern was not for the condition of his men but in delivering results and obtaining the victory so he could look good. When the men of Israel finally came upon the spoil from the victory they began to eat the sheep, oxen and calves raw with blood in them. (1 Samuel 14:32)
David on the other hand genuinely cared about people. He gave them an inheritance rather than take from them and drive them into the ground for his own gain. He also did not compete with his people but drew the best out of them and gave them room to grow. David came along side of his people, invested in them, modeled the fear of the Lord and empowered them.
In 2 Samuel 23:15-167, when David was hiding in the cave of Addullam he was longing for a drink from the well at Bethlehem. Three of his mighty men heard him speaking about this and broke through the army of the Philistines and drew him water from the well of Bethlehem by the gate and brought it to David. He refused to drink it and poured it out before the Lord.
In 2 Samuel 23:17 David said, “Be it far from me, O Lord, to drink this. Is it not [the same as] the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives? So he would not drink it.”
David feared the Lord and put Him first in his life. David cared most of all what God thought. Kings were 'expected' to always act dignified in public. In 2 Samuel 6:16 Michal, David's wife, saw him leaping and dancing in public while he was wearing priestly linen garments rather than acting dignified in kingly robes. She despised David for it.
She had learned how important keeping up impressions were from her father Saul.
Michal confronted him on it and David told her, “It was before the Lord, Who chose me above your father and all his house to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the Lord. Therefore will I make merry [in pure enjoyment] before the Lord. I will be still more lightly esteemed than this, and will humble and lower myself in my own sight [and yours]. But by the maids you mentioned, I will be held in honor.” (2 Samuel 6:21-22)
David led by grace rather than judgment and criticism. The people who sought him out as a leader were those who desperately needed to taste grace for themselves. It says in 1 Samuel 22:2 when David was hiding from Saul because he wanted to kill him, “And everyone in distress or in debt or discontented gathered to him, and he became a commander over them. And there were with him about 400 men.”
David was constantly teaching the people who followed him what was right in God's eyes and how to fear the Lord. In 1 Samuel 26, David took the water jug and spear by Saul while he was sleeping at night when he was out in the wilderness hunting down David. David then when he got a safe distance away woke Saul and told him about it. Rather than do him any harm, he worked to bring peace in their relationship.
In 1 Samuel 26:22-24 David told Saul, “See the king's spear! Let one of the young men come and get it. The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the Lord delivered you into my hands today, but I would not stretch forth my hand against the Lord's anointed. And behold, as your life was precious today in my sight, so let my life be precious in the sight of the Lord, and let Him deliver me out of all tribulation.”
David also didn't get threatened when things didn't go his way. After receiving God's promise to be king over Israel, he was received by the house of Judah while the rest of Israel rebelled and chose another leader. In 2 Samuel 2:10 Ish-bosheth was anointed king over Israel.
David did not become indignant or react in a retaliatory manner, taking matters into his own hands. Instead he waited seven and a half more years for God to bring his promises to pass. Then when he was fully established, 2 Samuel 5:12 says David “perceived that the Lord had established him king over Israel and that He had exalted his kingdom for His people Israel's sake.”
David saw that his calling as king was not to give him a position of power but to serve the people. His first responsibility was the benefit of the people he served and meeting their needs. The Wikipedia notes about servant leadership, “The general concept is ancient. Chanakya wrote, in the 4th century B.C., in his book Arthashastra:
'the king [leader] shall consider as good, not what pleases himself but what pleases his subjects [followers]' 'the king [leader] is a paid servant and enjoys the resources of the state together with the people.'” [6]In a servant leadership model, the leader does not feel entitled to take special privledges and be treated differently than the rest of the people under them. They hold themselves to at least as high of a standard as they call their people to. Like David, they only ask of their people what they are willing to do themselves.
As the Wikipedia mentions, servant leadership is an obligation to help and serve others. They write, “Openness and persuasion are more important than control.” And note that a person who is a servant leader is committed to the growth of their people. [7]
The Wikipedia goes on to mention , “A servant leader is convinced that people have an intrinsic value beyond their contributions as workers. Therefore, she should nurture the personal, professional and spiritual growth of employees. For example, she spends money for the personal and professional development of the people who make up her organization. The servant leader will also encourage the ideas of everyone and involve workers in decision making.” [8]
In another note, the Wikipedia notes, “Unlike leadership approaches with a top-down hierarchical style, servant leadership instead emphasizes collaboration, trust, empathy, and the ethical use of power. At heart, the individual is a servant first, making the conscious decision to lead in order to better serve others, not to increase their own power. The objective is to enhance the growth of individuals in the organization and increase teamwork and personal involvement.” [9]
To enter into servant leadership, one needs humility. David was someone with a great deal of humility. He did not have a sense of self importance which allowed him to put himself aside and help others get ahead. It also freed him from having to defend his own ego. When David was being hunted down by Saul he told him, “After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog? After a flea?”
An article on servant leadership by Regent University notes:
Murray (1982) describes humility as 'the blossom of which death to self is the perfect fruit' (p. 91). He says 'the highest glory of man is in being only a vessel, to receive and enjoy and show forth the glory of God' (p. 110). Only if man is willing to be nothing in himself may God be all.'
'Sandage and Wiens (2001) suggest that 'Christian humility involves the willingness to take a humble relational posture (when appropriate) by surrendering the motives of selfish ambition and grandiosity while considering the needs of others above one’s own' (p. 206). They say humility allows one to keep their accomplishments and talents in perspective, and includes being focused on others rather than being self-focused.
Hunter (2004) explains the paradox of humility in leadership by saying humble leaders realize they came into the world with nothing and will leave with nothing. People mistakenly associate being humble with being overly modest, passive, or self-effacing. To the contrary, humble leaders can be very bold when it comes to their sense of values, morality, and doing the right thing. They view their leadership as an awesome responsibility that affords them a position of trust and stewardship to take care of the people entrusted to them. Humble leaders are very willing, even eager, to listen to the opinions of others, including those with contrary opinions.” [10]
At the root of servant leadership is love. One must love the people they serve and want them to see them flourish rather than diminish. They genuinely care about people, learn from people, make room for them, call the best out of them, and add value to their lives wherever possible. They take time to get to know who people are and what is important to them.
Love is evident by the fruit that is produced. Rather than burn people out, David built people up. 2 Samuel 23 outlines the “mighty men whom David had.” Many of them accomplished tremendous feats in battle and slew their own Goliath. And it was obvious that they knew they were cared about as they would even storm through the line of the Philistine army to draw water out of a well and bring it to David. (2 Samuel 23:16)
Lord, forgive me where I have allowed myself to be conformed to the system of the world around me rather than serving others out of love. I find it hard to keep my footing in a fast paced environment that does not always feel conducive to servant leadership. Help me to live by my values and who you made me to be rather than by trying to live up to other's expectations. And help me to love and serve those above me as well as those below me well.
I pray the quote I have in my prayer room wall over us, “Let every day be a day of humility; [Let us] condescend to all the weaknesses and infirmities of [our] fellow creatures; cover their frailties, love their excellencies, encourage their virtues, relieve their wants, rejoice in their prosperities, compassionate their distress, receive their friendship, overlook their unkindness, forgive their malice, be a servant of servants.”
1. Radmacher, Earl D. ; Allen, Ronald Barclay ; House, H. Wayne: The Nelson Study Bible : New King James Version. Nashville : T. Nelson Publishers, 1997, S. 2 Sa 23:3
2, 3, 5. KJV Bible Commentary. Nashville : Thomas Nelson, 1997, c1994, S. 632
4. Manning, Brennan. All is Grace: A Ragamuffin Memoir. David C Cook. Colorado Springs, Co. 2011.
6-9. Wikipedia. Servant Leadership. Located at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servant_leadership#Characteristics_of_being_a_servant_leader Last Accessed: 11/9/11.
10. Waddell, Jane T. Regent University: School of Leadership Studies. “Servant Leadership.” Servant Leadership Research Roundtable, August 2006. Article Located at: http://regent.edu/acad/global/publications/sl_proceedings/2006/waddell.pdf Last Accessed: 11/9/11.
Most Scripture quotations take from The Amplified Bible. Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by the Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)1987 by the Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)
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