What opportunities are tempting you? (89-1)
Leaders by their very nature tend to be people of action.
When given a chance to solve a problem that has been plaguing them or the opportunity to complete a task so they can move on to the next phase of a project, leaders generally take the necessary action to finish. Even godly leaders can fall into the trap of action at the moment of opportunity – even when that opportunity may violate other principles God has established in His Word. Leaders seeking to serve God take a moment to discern God’s will even in situations that call for instant action. Read 1 Samuel 26:5-11.
David had been anointed the future king of Israel by the prophet Samuel and through his exploits on the battlefield had great support among the people. Any reasonable leader would have assumed that any day now the Lord would put David in a situation to ascend to the throne.
Today’s passage in 1 Samuel brings us to the second David had a chance to take the throne – now. David could have killed Saul and forcefully become king of Israel. He and a fellow soldier were standing over a sleeping Saul, with spears in hand, and could easily have killed him while he slept.
The warrior with David saw this as an opportunity provided by God and was ready to take immediate action. David on the other hand discerned that God’s character is always consistent. God had established Saul as king of Israel and even David, a future anointed king, did not have the right to harm God’s anointed. Effective godly leaders do not alter elements of their character to grab a momentary victory. As David put it, “As surely as the Lord lives… the Lord Himself will strike him; either his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed.”
What opportunities are tempting you to take actions that may not be godly? Have you discerned how your action would potentially affect your relationship with God?
