The Choosing of David Shembull

God’s Choice

We have seasons in our life that can feel risky. New things are going to be a bit scary because they are God-sized. We need God to show up to do the things that we know He placed in our hearts. When Samuel was on his journey to find the next king of Israel, God said, “Humans do not see what the Lord sees, for humans see what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.” Samuel was on a journey. He was determined to find a king, yet afraid of getting killed by the current king. Samuel was walking in faith. He arrived in Bethlehem. There he met Jesse and son after son. Jesse, David’s father, showed off all his strongest, tallest, most handsome sons first. None were the one God had chosen. 

The obvious choice is not always God’s choice. King Saul was also strong and had everything going on for him, but he had disobeyed God. David was a man after God’s own heart. Through the Old Testament, we see how vastly differently they ruled the kingdom of Israel.

God does not look at the obvious. He looks at the heart. He is not just looking at the exterior. David was small, young, and a shepherd. He was not the obvious choice. God was looking for a shepherd.

Everybody is a leader somewhere. Whether it is at your job, school, or church, you are a leader. God is not looking for another Saul to drive cattle, but for a shepherd to lead His people. You lead differently with sheep than you do with cattle. Too often, our leadership is driving people as if they are cattle instead of leading them. 

God loves unlikely leaders. Moses was a fugitive of Pharaoh’s justice, yet he became the greatest law-giver in history. Gideon was a coward, yet he was able to conquer an invading army with just 300 men. David was an insignificant shepherd boy, yet he became the greatest king of Israel. Peter was a fisherman and impulsive, yet he was catapulted into becoming the leader of the Christian church. 

God loves to use the unlikely. You and I are part of the unlikely. Don’t you love when the unexpected happens, and you see the underdog or the unlikely win? You are God’s choice!