Anointed
45 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. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” 48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground. (1 Samuel 17:45-49)
David was in a precarious position - anointed by Samuel but not yet king. But when his father sent him to check on, and take provisions to, his three oldest brothers who were fighting in a war against the Philistines, David did not hesitate to respond to the threats from Goliath. David trusted that, just as God had equipped him to successfully fight a lion and a bear as he tended his father's sheep, God would equip him to defeat this threat to Israel. King Saul recognized God's spirit on David and was equal parts awed and jealous. While grateful for David's tenacity, and eventually coming to rely on David to use his skill playing the lyre to calm the harmful spirit that had replaced God's anointing on Saul, Saul also could not shake the anger he felt for his soon-to-be replacement. To his credit, David never attempted to usurp Saul's authority, nor did David allow Saul's treatment of him to dictate how he treated Saul. David served faithfully and respectfully in every capacity that Saul appointed him to serve.
We are each gifted in some way, or ways, to serve God, but that giftedness does not give us permission to step on others - even those who may regard us as an enemy. By serving faithfully and treating everyone with respect, we allow God to make whatever distinctions are necessary. May God's spirit give us the courage and grace to meet disrespect with respect, and to remember that ultimately we serve God not people.
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25 Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.
(Colossians 3:23-25)
1 How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. For there the LORD ordained his blessing, life forevermore. (Psalm 133)
