“Then one of the young men said, ‘Behold I have seen a son of Jesse, the Bethelhemite who is a skillful musician, a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one prudent in speech, and a handsome man; and the Lord is with him.” [I Sam 16:18]
Before David was a king he lived out his days as a lowly shepherd. How could he have ever known the Lord was using those days to prepare Him for a greater destiny? What looked like a common and ordinary job in reality proved to be God’s training ground for a future king.
As I was reading through this verse in preparation for a men’s Bible Study I teach, I was blown away by David having distinguished himself when he did not know anybody was watching him. Somebody observed David and in essence gave him a glowing reference to King Saul.
Let me give you a little background. Saul reigned as the King of Israel hand chosen by God. Saul rebelled against the Lord and God informed him the kingdom would be removed from him and given to a neighbor. Samuel is instructed by God to go to to Jesse in Bethlehem where God has chosen the next king. All of Jesse’s sons come but the Lord did not choose them. Samuel finally asks Jesse if he had any more children and almost as an afterthought he is reminded that the youngest son David is tending the sheep.
David is summoned and God chooses Him as the next king. That does not mean he became king right away. In the mean time an evil spirit terrorized King Saul. Some of his servants suggested that a skillful musician be sought who could play beautiful music to comfort and soothe Saul when the evil spirit tormented him.
It is at this point we pick up the story with an unknown servant who recommends David. David distinguished himself in this man’s eyes even though he probably was not aware of it. This really moves me. David is faithfully executing his duties as a shepherd day in and day out. Shepherds were considered low class citizens. David endured his days of small beginnings. While shepherding the sheep David became skillful at playing the harp and begins to write some songs. How could David have ever known how the Lord would use that harp and his skill to not only get him entrance into the palace and into relationship with the king of Israel, but also eventually to write divinely inspired scripture in the Psalms?
You may be enduring a day of small beginnings where you are. From your perspective it might appear life is passing you by and that God has forgotten and abandoned you. God often uses days of small beginnings to prepare us for days of larger assignments. Are you being diligent and faithful where you are? That is the real question.
My first preaching assignment took place at a small country church outside Lufkin, TX. There were at most two-dozen students present. I had been asked to give my testimony. My nerves nearly got the best of me. I thought I had plenty to say but I barely spoke over five minutes. If you would have been there that night you would not have labeled me a candidate who would preach all over the United States and in two foreign countries.
I recently heard the story from a coach who once worked for a seven time state champion coach whom often came early to the field house to clean the toilets. There were paid personnel who could have done that job but the head coach did it without any fanfare. This inspired both coaches and players to give their best regardless of how insignificant the tasks seemed. They learned to be faithful and attentive to the little things. Is it any wonder they were so successful. Do not despise the days of small beginnings because you do not know how the Lord is going to use those days in the future. There are no wasted years when you are serving the Lord.
My first church as a pastor started out with fifty people in attendance and ended with less than twenty on most Sundays five years later. Few predicted then I would ever serve as pastor to a church of hundreds. Yet it was in that small church I learned what it meant to be a pastor and not just a preacher. I learned to love people, minister to them in their trials, and to endure when things became difficult.
David became a skilled musician in an obscure profession. Somebody saw and heard David’s skill and God used that skill to open doors for His Sovereign plan to appoint a new King in Israel. God’s plan would not fully unfold for several more years but you can see how God used David’s skill.
This unknown observer of David also saw in David a mighty man of valor. In the Hebrew that could be translated as “powerful, one who excels, and champion.” This speaks volumes to me. David excelled at a time in his life when he was a nobody. He distinguished himself by how he lived and worked when he probably saw his role in life as rather insignificant. People are watching. Our kids watch. Friends watch. The community watches. Do they observe in us a person who excels and a champion who is willing to pay the price?
I have never been more aware of that than I am here at Seminole. Because we broadcast our services on television in four different communities, I know people are watching. I am not referring to them watching our services. They watch me in this community. I do not know who they are but many are aware of who I am. They are constantly watching and what I hope they see is consistency in my life both in and out of the pulpit. I want my kids to see I love God when I am in public and in my private life as well.
Do people see you excel and pay the price as a champion? Do they see you being faithful in the little things when you think nobody is watching? These things were observed in David and it made a difference. David did not know God was preparing him to be the next king. He simply attended sheep. Yet God used that season of his life to prepare him for the next season.
This unidentified witness also testified of David being a warrior. We learn later on David killed a lion and a bear. He exhibited fearless courage in the midst of opposition. David showed bravery in the face of adversity. God is looking for warriors who not afraid of the battle. His kingdom will be advanced by force as men and women warriors fight on their knees and proclaim the gospel message that Jesus saves.
There is one other thing that struck me from this verse. David spoke with prudence. That means David distinguished himself in his speech and separated himself with the way he talked. How many Christians laugh at or pass on off-colored jokes? How many talk one way at church and use all manner of profanity outside of church? David distinguished himself in the way he talked. O how I wish that could be said of all of us.
I wish it could be said of all us that we were distinguished in the way we lived our lives. Regardless of how insignificant we see our roles in life we can still live with distinction. We do not know the final outcome. God may be using these years to train and prepare us for a greater assignment. May we be diligent and distinguished in the days of small beginnings trusting God for greater assignments.
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