David, a Man After God’s HeartSample

Social status is not required by God

“I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel.” (2 Samuel 7:8)

David did not belong to Israel’s upper class. He kept his father’s sheep, a job that was dangerous and of low social status. His family was not especially important either. But apparently, that was not important to God. Despite his lack of social status, David was chosen as king of Israel.

In our societies, people with a lot of money or people from respected families are generally valued more than “the masses”. We might be inclined to copy this value system, and either feel better than others because of our social status or feel inferior for our lack of it.

But God doesn’t mind our social background, nor does he need our money. David was a shepherd but God made him king. Moses was a refugee who kept the sheep of his father-in-law when God appointed him as Israel’s leader. Jesus was born and raised in a poor family. He interacted with poor people as well as rich ones, and God has “chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which He has promised to those who love Him.” (James 2:5)

Which place does social status have in your evaluation of yourself and others? What is God’s view on this?