A Mark of Leadership

1 Samuel 26-31

David rises to the top even when under the stress of being pursued by Saul. In a time when "an eye for and eye" was accepted in law and society, David chooses to forgive... to take on the debt owed and rise above the rest of society. He shows what true kings and leaders should be made of. Sadly we are short on those kinds of leaders today.

David has another chance to slay his pursuer. Saul is asleep and David and Abishai stand over the sleeping King Saul. Abishai, the master of dry humor, asks David's permission to take Saul with these words "Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of my spear; I won't strike him twice." I love that. Abishai is quite confident that one thrust of the spear is all that it will take, but David rebukes him, because Saul is still God's anointed one and David will not preempt God's timing.

Later, David and two-thirds of his men counter-attack the Amalekites for taking all their wives and children and goods while they were off on a mission. When they meet back with the other one-third of his men, several want to prevent the last third from sharing in the plunder, but David will not allow division in the ranks and shares with all.

It is not the case the great leaders will never fail, David certainly had his share of failure... failure that cost him his first-born son, but David's character was of a nature that was after God's own heart. We desperately need more of those kinds of leaders today.