The Marks of a Godly Leader - King David

After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’ ~Acts 13:22 (NIV)



In all the history of the nation of Israel, there has never been another king (with the exception of Jesus) like King David. Though far from perfect, as a man of war who committed adultery and murder, David exemplifies many qualities of a godly leader. Let's dig in and see what we uncover in the scriptures concerning these godly leadership qualities.



He seeks after God .

As the verse above indicates, David sought after God. One only has to read the psalms written by David to know this to be true. In spite of his sinfulness and humanity, he followed the Lord with all his heart. During the process of discovering the new king, Samuel went through all of David's brothers before he came to David. With so many strong men in this family, Samuel must surely have wondered about God's decision in choosing the young shepherd boy.



But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” ~1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)



During the reign of David, there was a famine for three successive years; so David sought the face of the Lord. ~2 Samuel 21:1a 



The Lord was with him .

So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. ~1 Samuel 16:13a (NIV)



The Lord gave David victory wherever he went. ~2 Samuel 8:6b (NIV) (See also 2 Samuel 8:14b.)



When God is with us we are made able to accomplish anything the Lord chooses for us. As we look for men and women who will lead us, this one thing is the most important. Without the presence of God with and within our leaders, they will surely fail at their task, leading the rest of us down a treacherous path.



He is fearless against the opposition because of God .

Day after day, Goliath and the Philistine army taunted the army of Israel. Day after day, the Hebrew troops became more and more discouraged. But when David entered the camp to bring food to his brothers, he quickly and boldly let the truth be known.



David asked the men standing near him, “....Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” ~1 Samuel 17:26 (NIV)



And when he went out to face the giant with nothing but a sling and a few stones, he once more proclaimed truth.



David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands..." ~1 Samuel 17:45-46a (NIV)



He accepts full responsibility for his actions and doesn't try to place the blame elsewhere .

President Truman had a sign on his desk which said, "The buck stops here." The meaning behind the phrase was that as the leader of the United States, Truman took full responsibility for his actions and the resulting consequences. David did the same, and we see it in two different cases--in the case of the deaths of the priests and the town of Nob, and also in the case with his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah the Hittite.



But one son of Ahimelek son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled to join David. He told David that Saul had killed the priests of the Lord. Then David said to Abiathar, “That day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, I knew he would be sure to tell Saul. I am responsible for the death of your whole family. Stay with me; don’t be afraid. The man who wants to kill you is trying to kill me too. You will be safe with me.” ~1 Samuel 22:20-23 (NIV)



Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” ~2 Samuel 12:13a (NIV)



He listens to his conscience .

David could've killed Saul, and deservedly so. After all, David had already been anointed king. He'd been on the run from King Saul for years, yet had done nothing to deserve the death Saul had planned for him. But this shepherd-boy-turned-king had a conscience and he listened to it.



Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” ~1 Samuel 24:5-6 (NIV)



He strengthens himself in the Lord .

Weary from running from Saul and trying to lead the band of misfits around him, David suddenly found himself in the position of being stoned by his own men after the destruction of their village of Ziklag. He could have pleaded and reasoned with the men. He could have grown bitter and walked away from all of it. Instead he did what every leader should do when overwhelmed with the lonely responsibilities of their charge.



David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God. ~1 Samuel 30:6 (NIV)



He identifies with his people .

This quality is so sadly lacking in leadership today. Instead of relating to constituents and seeking to serve those below them, our leaders see their role as a position of power and use their position for selfish gain. But notice what the scripture says about David.



All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood...." When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel. ~2 Samuel 5:1,3 (NIV)



He is divinely chosen for the position .

And the Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’ ~2 Samuel 5:2 (NIV)



Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel. ~2 Samuel 5:12 (NIV) 



David didn't put himself in power, as his sons Absalom and Adonijah tried to do. He was divinely appointed to the position. American leaders have twisted the concept of "separation of church and state" to mean something it was never intended to be. Originally, the concept was promoted so that their was no government-instituted religion. Now it seems to mean the complete removal of God from the national realm. Our downfall as a nation will come from removing God from our nation, schools and marketplace. We can't ignore Him in our prosperity and expect Him to come to our rescue in our times of distress.



He seeks direction from the Lord .

Time and time again in the story of David, we see him asking the Lord for guidance. And time and time again, the Lord gives him an answer, and David follows.



So David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?” The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.” ~2 Samuel 5:19 (NIV)



He recognizes God's sovereignty and is humbled .

Then King David went in and sat before the Lord, and he said: “Who am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant—and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere human!....How great you are, Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears." ~2 Samuel 7:18-19, 22 (NIV)



Oh, that we would all have this attitude. Who are we that the Lord has brought us this far?



He realizes that his decisions influence and affect those under his leadership .

The God of Israel spoke,
    the Rock of Israel said to me:
‘When one rules over people in righteousness,
    when he rules in the fear of God,
he is like the light of morning at sunrise
    on a cloudless morning,
like the brightness after rain
    that brings grass from the earth.’ ~2 Samuel 23:3-4 (NIV)



He leaves behind a spiritual heritage .

“I am about to go the way of all the earth,” he said. “So be strong, act like a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go and that the Lord may keep his promise to me: ‘If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a successor on the throne of Israel.’" ~1 Kings 2:2-4 (NIV)



As David prepared to die, he told his young son Solomon the secret to his success. I personally don't doubt that David had prepared his son even more than what is recorded in the Bible, as Solomon later acknowledges that his father lived a godly life that the Lord blessed (1 Kings 3:6).



Father God, we pray for godly leaders like David--men and women who seek after You, who recognize Your sovereignty, who have Your presence with, who have been divinely appointed to their task, who accept full responsibility for their actions without passing the blame onto others, who seeks Your guidance, who realizes their influence and impact on the lives of others, who serve those beneath them, who passes on a godly heritage. And Lord we also pray that You will enable us to lead in our places of influence in a way that pleases You. Lord, we lift our current leaders before You and ask that they might be drawn closer to You. If they don't know You, God, we pray that You will make Yourself known to them so that they might follow You. No matter what, Lord, we give You praise, because You are ultimately the One in control and You are good and gracious and just. In Jesus' name, Amen.