How to be king

TODAY'S READING: 1 Samuel 18:1-16
There are all kinds of leadership training classes and seminars. You can find a host of books on how to be a leader. But we see David living out what makes an effective leader for God. It's not about seminars, books, or training sessions. Yes, those can all be helpful. But the key to a successful godly leader is found in the heart of the person. Consider what we read about David in this passage.
David was successful in what Saul asked him to do. (verse 5) David was dependable and carried out his assignments.
David was faithful, even when Saul took away some of his troops. (verse 13) David remained faithful in his tasks, even when his "boss" mistreated him.
The Lord was with David. (verses 12 & 14) When David was faithful, God was with him.
We can learn a lot from David. The biggest thing I learn from David in this situation is that we must be a servant regardless of how we are treated. I know there are times I don't want to serve because someone treated me poorly. I would imagine most of us have been there at least a few times.
David shows me that a real leader grows from a real servant. If we can show kindness, faithfulness, patience, and dependability as we serve others, God will often bless us with the opportunity to lead others. This is not a guarantee, but it is certainly a principle I have seen in Scripture and real life. Not all leaders show these characteristics, but most effective, godly leaders will show these attributes long before they are called to lead. Whether you are a leader or not, pray that God will help you develop into the kind of person who could be king, whether you are called to leadership or not. Because the reality is that all of us will lead someone. But are we doing it in a way that brings glory and honor to God?

shine!
Jason