Someone once said never to interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake. Mediocre, paranoid and egoistic leaders are the kind who will go to extreme measures to eliminate any competition- it never ends well.
Instead of nurturing talent, these so bad leaders seek to destroy or stall it. I have heard of bosses who transfer gifted young talent to extreme remote places where they can’t grow, entrepreneurs who sabotage and eliminate competition- sometimes through killing, stealing and destroying them. https://thelovetablet.com/2022/11/22/victory-is-to-humility-what-misery-is-to-pride/
King Saul was prone to paranoia and hysteria once it became clear that David was anointed to rule Israel. He was envious, became obsessed and forgot his own mission and contribution to the world.
History seems to show that unstable leaders die miserably leaving a bad legacy. They start endless diabolical missions of eliminating their targets. Case in point, Herod who went on a killing spree of children under two years just to get to the Messiah. I mean, how many years would it be before the child became a real threat?
Lessons for Great Godly Leaders
- Great leaders are true gems that cannot be hidden. When the army returned from fighting the Philistines, the women sang: ‘Saul has killed thousands, but David tens of thousands.’ This made Saul jealous and started a never ending war against David.
- Great leaders are humble and execute their gifts with excellence. David as a great harp player was appointed to play for King Saul- to soothe, entertain and emotionally heal him. King Saul in return hurled his spear at David twice with the intention of killing him. https://thelovetablet.com/2022/08/30/excellence-gold-will-always-usher-you-into-the-presence-of-the-great/
- God fights for his appointed and mercilessly embarrasses their enemies. When David had fled and made his escape from Saul, Saul found out and sent men to capture him who when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, the Spirit of God came on them, and they also prophesied. Saul on learning this sent more men, and they prophesied too. Fed up, Saul sent men a third time, and they also prophesied. Finally, he himself pursued David but the Spirit of God came even on him, and he walked along prophesying until he stripped off his garments, and he too prophesied and lay naked all that day and all that night. The embarrassment.
- The mighty warrior refuses to fight a King- a tiny Goliath. David had two opportunities to kill King Saul, and both times he refused to kill his enemy. David was a great leader who exuded humility, and submission to the Lord’s will unlike Saul who had anger, pride and revengeful thoughts.
Saul came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4 The men said, 'This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said to you, "I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish." 1 Samuel 24:3-4
- God expects us to respect the leaders he has appointed over us, even if they are toxic. David respected Saul as the Lord’s anointed King.
- The Lord protects great leaders who obey him. Chapter 23 of 1 Samuel closed with Saul almost capturing David, only to be called away to defend some Israel cities from the blood thirsty Philistines.
- We can agree to disagree and respectfully disagree with our leaders, as David did before Saul. We must know how to consult God when a leader is misbehaving- God always acts accordingly. David when attacked by Saul spoke and publicly accused Saul of trying to kill him as an innocent man. David called upon the Lord’s justice to prevail. Had David the mighty warrior been an evil doer, Saul would have been long dead.
"I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the LORD's anointed."1 Samuel24:10 "May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. As the old saying goes, 'From evildoers come evil deeds,' so my hand will not touch you." 1 Samuel: 24:12-13
- Promises are made to be fulfilled- Saul broke his promise not to harm David again and again. Saul’s response when David had spared his life was emotional as he publicly wept aloud and recognized David’s humility- even called on God to reward David. A few seasons later, he was at it again- pursuing David to kill him. The audacity!
- Great leaders understand that life is seasonal, attacks are inevitable. David had been unjustly deprived of decent living by Saul, was constantly fleeing for his life even though he was no threat and Saul mercilessly pursued him like a lion on a gazelle hunt- with an army of thousands of men. Israel suffered attacks from the Philistines as a result.
- Bad Leaders are big headed and will go to extreme extent to attack others. Saul sought a Medium in the name of protecting his kingdom through necromancy and died the very next day. What a waste of gifts.
Key Verses
1 Samuel 24a 1After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” 2So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats. 3He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4The men said, “This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’ ” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6He 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.” 7With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way. 8Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. 9He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’? 10This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the LORD’s anointed.’ 11See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. 12May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. 13As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you. 14“Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? 15May the LORD be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.” 16When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud. 17“You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. 18You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the LORD delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me. 19When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the LORD reward you well for the way you treated me today. 20 I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. 21Now swear to me by the LORD that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.” 22So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the…
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