July 23

“Thy gentleness hath mode me great.” 2 Samuel 22:36

It frequently happens that God’s choice of a leader is quite different from man’s ideas of what a leader should be. Even the prophet Samuel had been so influenced by King Saul’s stature and strength that when called to anoint a successor, he was ready to believe that Jesse’s eldest son matched best the kingly pattern. But neither Eliab nor any of his six brothers was acceptable to God, who all the time looked not at the outward but the inward man. David, he affirmed, was his chosen man.

What did David possess that was lacking in the others? Above all he possessed a heart of dependence on God. It was not a perfect heart. In fact, later in life David had to confess that it was a sinful heart. Nevertheless, it was quite different from that of Saul in this respect, that he displayed a humble willingness to learn. The blessing of God’s kingdom is reserved for the poor in spirit.