Leading in Difficult TimesParaugs

Leading in Difficult Times: David

by Frank Wright 

And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” (2 Samuel 9:3).

Within David’s ascension to the throne of Israel, is a leadership lesson—and a powerful foreshadowing of the Messiah. Like his promised Savior, David was a man after God’s own heart. His aim was to know and to do the will of God, and His defeat of Goliath was a picture of Christ triumphing over sin and death. And beginning his rule, we see David accept the mantle of all godly leaders—to lead as God would lead. 

Among his first acts, David looks for a descendent of Saul to show him kindness. Yet, the Hebrew text reveals something more robust than merely kindness. A better translation would be “a covenant of love and faithfulness.” But what covenant? One made before God by David and Jonathan nearly 20 years earlier. In their covenant, they promise to do only good to each other—and their descendants. 

At David’s command, Mephibosheth (Jonathan’s son) is brought before him. Here was a man with little reason to expect good from David. He was crippled in his body and had no service to offer the king. Not only that, as Saul’s descendent he had a claim to the throne—making him an enemy of the king. 

Consider how we are like Mephibosheth. We stand before God broken by sin and rebellion. We have nothing to offer the Great King, and the Scriptures call us His enemies. But they also say: 

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life. (Romans 5:10).

And with his treatment of Mephibosheth, we see David’s godly leadership:

Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always. (2 Samuel 9:7).

The leadership lessons?  Never let the temporal obscure the eternal—lead as God would lead. Keep your word. Go out of your way to show kindness to the children of the promise.