“One Year Bible” Old Testament History Passage
I Samuel 24:1-25:44
“Now it happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s robe. And he said to his men, ‘The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.'” I Samuel 24:5-6 (NKJV)
If anyone had a good reason to resent Saul it was David. For several years, David had selflessly served his king. He had risked his life to make Saul successful. And what was his reward? Nothing but anger and repeated attempts kill him.
One of David’s great strengths was his ability to keep a soft heart. He stayed sensitive to the Lord. He would not allow himself to harbor angry reaction or vengeance. He kept his heart sensitive to the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
Have you ever felt convicted of failure to show love and honor to those who reject you? Most people develop an “I don’t care attitude.” In short, they harden their heart.
It is a difficult thing to honor those who are acting in a dishonorable fashion. David really did not honor Saul’s sins and carnality. He honored Saul’s position. God had placed Saul in the office of King. As such, he was “the anointed of the Lord.”
In our day, it seems that everyone in authority gets criticized and torn down. We have lost our ability to HONOR. Even when our leaders are flawed, God still says to respect the office and refuse to speak rashly against authority. This is a key to good leadership, and it is a way that we ultimately honor our God.