by David Scott Robertson
(1 Sam 18:5 KJV) And David went out whithersoever Saul sent him, AND BEHAVED HIMSELF WISELY: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
(1 Sam 18:14 KJV) And David BEHAVED HIMSELF WISELY in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.
(1 Sam 18:30 KJV) Then the princes of the Philistines went forth: and it came to pass, after they went forth, that David BEHAVED HIMSELF MORE WISELY than all the servants of Saul; so that his name was much set by.
Who reading this desires to be successful?
Who wants to enjoy the benefits of God's blessing?
Who longs to do the thing that works that will advance his cause among God and man?
I do!
And another David,
The Son of Jesse,
Did as well.
David's life as detailed in the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel,
At least to me,
Reads like a modern-day personal development seminar:
"10 Habits of a Highly Successful Man."
"How to Win Friends and Influence People."
"The Winning Attitude."
"10 Keys to Success in Your Career."
David had discovered the art of "behaving wisely"
And as a result reaped the benefits of such a lifestyle.
What attributes did David consistently display
That caused the God Himself to document David’s action in scripture as "wise behavior?"
1. David was HUMBLE.
(1 Sam 18:18 KJV) And David said unto Saul, WHO AM I? AND WHAT IS MY LIFE, OR MY FATHER'S FAMILY IN ISRAEL, THAT I SHOULD BE SON IN LAW TO THE KING?
(1 Sam 18:23 KJV) And Saul's servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, SEEMETH IT TO YOU A LIGHT THING TO BE A KING'S SON IN LAW, SEEING THAT I AM A POOR MAN, AND LIGHTLY ESTEEMED?
(1 Sam 20:41 KJV) And as soon as the lad was gone, David arose out of a place toward the south, AND FELL ON HIS FACE TO THE GROUND, AND BOWED HIMSELF THREE TIMES: AND THEY KISSED ONE ANOTHER, AND WEPT ONE WITH ANOTHER, until David exceeded.
2. David was PATRIOTIC.
(1 Sam 17:26 KJV) And David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, What shall be done to the man that killeth this Philistine, AND TAKETH AWAY THE REPROACH FROM ISRAEL? FOR WHO IS THIS UNCIRCUMCISED PHILISTINE, THAT HE SHOULD DEFY THE ARMIES OF THE LIVING GOD?
3. David was OBEDIENT.
(1 Sam 18:5 KJV) AND DAVID WENT OUT WHITHERSOEVER SAUL SENT HIM, and behaved himself wisely: and Saul set him over the men of war, and he was accepted in the sight of all the people, and also in the sight of Saul's servants.
4. David was a man of FAITH.
(1 Sam 23:3 KJV) And David's men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?
(1 Sam 23:4 KJV) THEN DAVID INQUIRED OF THE LORD YET AGAIN. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah: for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.
(1 Sam 23:5 KJV) So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
(1 Sam 17:46 KJV) THIS DAY WILL THE LORD DELIVER THEE [GOLIATH] INTO MINE HAND; AND I WILL SMITE THEE, AND TAKE THINE HEAD FROM THEE; AND I WILL GIVE THE CARCASES OF THE HOST OF THE PHILISTINES THIS DAY UNTO THE FOWLS OF THE AIR, AND TO THE WILD BEASTS OF THE EARTH; THAT ALL THE EARTH MAY KNOW THAT THERE IS A GOD IN ISRAEL.
5. David was FEARFUL OF GOD AND FEARLESS OF MAN
(Psa 27:1 NIV) Of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation-- WHOM SHALL I FEAR? The LORD is the stronghold of my life-- OF WHOM SHALL I BE AFRAID?
(1 Sam 17:24 KJV) AND ALL THE MEN OF ISRAEL, when they saw the man [Goliath], FLED FROM HIM, AND WERE. SORE AFRAID.
(1 Sam 17:45 KJV) Then said David to the Philistine, THOU COMEST TO ME WITH A SWORD, AND WITH A SPEAR, AND WITH A SHIELD: BUT I COME TO THEE IN THE NAME OF THE LORD OF HOSTS, THE GOD OF THE ARMIES OF ISRAEL, WHOM THOU HAST DEFIED.
6. David EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS..
(1 Sam 18:25 KJV) And Saul said, Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but AN HUNDRED FORESKINS OF THE PHILISTINES, to be avenged of the king's enemies. But Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.
(1 Sam 18:26 KJV) And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son in law: AND THE DAYS WERE NOT EXPIRED.
(1 Sam 18:27 KJV) Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, AND SLEW OF THE PHILISTINES TWO HUNDRED MEN; AND DAVID BROUGHT THEIR FORESKINS, and they gave them in full tale to the king, that he might be the king's son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife.
7. David knew how to be IN AUTHORITY and UNDER AUTHORITY.
(1 Sam 22:2 KJV) And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, GATHERED THEMSELVES UNTO HIM; AND HE BECAME A CAPTAIN OVER THEM: AND THERE WERE WITH HIM ABOUT FOUR HUNDRED MEN.
(1 Sam 18:13 KJV) Therefore Saul removed him from him, AND MADE HIM HIS CAPTAIN OVER A THOUSAND; and he went out and came in before the people.
(1 Sam 24:6 KJV) And he said unto his men, THE LORD FORBID THAT I SHOULD DO THIS THING UNTO MY MASTER, THE LORD'S ANOINTED, TO STRETCH FORTH MINE HAND AGAINST HIM, SEEING HE IS THE ANOINTED OF THE LORD.
(1 Sam 24:7 KJV) So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.
8. David was a WORSHIPPER.
(1 Sam 13:14 KJV) But now thy kingdom shall not continue: THE LORD HATH SOUGHT HIM A MAN AFTER HIS OWN HEART, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.
9. David was a PROMISE KEEPER..
(1 Sam 20:15 KJV) BUT ALSO THOU SHALT NOT CUT OFF THY KINDNESS FROM MY [JONATHAN’S] HOUSE FOR EVER: no, not when the LORD hath cut off the enemies of David every one from the face of the earth.
(1 Sam 20:16 KJV) SO JONATHAN MADE A COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF DAVID, saying, Let the LORD even require it at the hand of David's enemies.
(2 Sam 9:6 KJV) Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!
(2 Sam 9:7 KJV) And David said unto him, FEAR NOT: FOR I WILL SURELY SHOW THEE KINDNESS FOR JONATHAN THY FATHER'S SAKE, AND WILL RESTORE THEE ALL THE LAND OF SAUL THY FATHER; AND THOU SHALT EAT BREAD AT MY TABLE CONTINUALLY.
10. David was interested in being a BLESSING.
(1 Sam 22:22 KJV) And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father's house.
(1 Sam 22:23 KJV) Abide thou with me, FEAR NOT: FOR HE THAT SEEKETH MY LIFE SEEKETH THY LIFE: BUT WITH ME THOU SHALT BE IN SAFEGUARD.
David was one highly motivated individual!
This humble, patriotic, obedient, faith-filled, God-fearing, fearless, overachieving, Jehovah-worshipping, covenant-keeping, authority figure was a blessing to God and to man.
David behaved more wisely than all his superiors, subordinates, and peers combined.
What about you?
Do you aspire to behave more wisely than your companions?
Consider David’s exceptional example and follow his lead.
In so doing, perhaps you can bring dignity to the term “wise guy.”
So now, what are the BENEFITS OF BEHAVING WISELY?
Does all this effort count?
Does it pay off?
Does honor await the wise person?
Let’s take a look at the benefits that David’s lifestyle of integrity reaped for him:
1. David got PROMOTED.
(1 Sam 18:13 NIV) So he sent David away from him AND GAVE HIM COMMAND OVER A THOUSAND MEN, and David LED THE TROOPS in their campaigns.
2. God gave David mighty VICTORIES.
(1 Sam 18:15 NIV) WHEN SAUL SAW HOW SUCCESSFUL HE [DAVID] WAS, he was afraid of him.
(1 Sam 17:50 NIV) SO DAVID TRIUMPHED OVER THE PHILISTINE with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand HE STRUCK DOWN THE PHILISTINE AND KILLED HIM.
3. David PLEASED the people he served and those who served him.
(1 Sam 18:5 NIV) Whatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfully that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the people, and Saul's officers as well.
4. David was greatly LOVED.
(1 Sam 18:3 NIV) And Jonathan made a covenant with David BECAUSE HE LOVED HIM AS HIMSELF.
(1 Sam 18:20 NIV) NOW SAUL'S DAUGHTER MICHAL WAS IN LOVE WITH DAVID, and when they told Saul about it, he was pleased.
(1 Sam 18:16 NIV) BUT ALL ISRAEL AND JUDAH LOVED DAVID, because he led them in their campaigns.
5. David had WIDESPREAD FAME and REPUTATION.
(1 Sam 18:6 NIV) When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes.
(1 Sam 18:7 NIV) AS THEY DANCED, THEY SANG: "SAUL HAS SLAIN HIS THOUSANDS, AND DAVID HIS TENS OF THOUSANDS."
(1 Sam 18:30 NIV) The Philistine commanders continued to go out to battle, and as often as they did, David met with more success than the rest of Saul's officers, AND HIS NAME BECAME WELL KNOWN.
6. Wise behavior EXTENDED DAVID’S LIFE.
(1 Sam 19:10 NIV) Saul tried to pin him to the wall with his spear, BUT DAVID ELUDED HIM AS SAUL DROVE THE SPEAR INTO THE WALL. THAT NIGHT DAVID MADE GOOD HIS ESCAPE.
(1 Sam 18:6 NIV) WHEN THE MEN WERE RETURNING HOME AFTER DAVID HAD KILLED THE PHILISTINE, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes.
7. David’s enemies WERE AFRAID OF HIM.
(1 Sam 18:12 NIV) SAUL WAS AFRAID OF DAVID, because the LORD was with David but had left Saul.
(1 Sam 18:29 NIV) SAUL BECAME STILL MORE AFRAID OF HIM, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.
(1 Sam 19:8 NIV) Once more war broke out, and David went out and fought the Philistines. HE STRUCK THEM WITH SUCH FORCE THAT THEY FLED BEFORE HIM.
8. David was given SPIRITUAL INSIGHT.
(1 Sam 21:5 NIV) David replied [to Ahimelech the priest], "Indeed women have been kept from us, as usual whenever I set out. THE MEN'S THINGS ARE HOLY EVEN ON MISSIONS THAT ARE NOT HOLY. HOW MUCH MORE SO TODAY!"
9. David experienced material PROVISION.
(1 Sam 21:9 NIV) The priest replied, "The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the Valley of Elah, is here; it is wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod. IF YOU WANT IT, TAKE IT; there is no sword here but that one." David said, "There is none like it; give it to me."
10. David earned the COMPASSION and RESPECT of others.
(1 Sam 20:34 NIV) Jonathan got up from the table in fierce anger; on that second day of the month he did not eat, BECAUSE HE WAS GRIEVED AT HIS FATHER'S SHAMEFUL TREATMENT OF DAVID.
11. David gave David FAVOR.
(1 Sam 20:3 NIV) But David took an oath and said, "YOUR FATHER KNOWS VERY WELL THAT I HAVE FOUND FAVOR IN YOUR EYES, and he has said to himself, 'Jonathan must not know this or he will be grieved.' Yet as surely as the LORD lives and as you live, there is only a step between me and death."
12. David had CREATIVE INGENUITY.
(1 Sam 19:12 NIV) SO MICHAL LET DAVID DOWN THROUGH A WINDOW, AND HE FLED AND ESCAPED.
(1 Sam 19:14 NIV) When Saul sent the men to capture David, Michal said, "He is ill."
(1 Sam 21:12 NIV) David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath.
(1 Sam 21:13 NIV) SO HE PRETENDED TO BE INSANE IN THEIR PRESENCE; AND WHILE HE WAS IN THEIR HANDS HE ACTED LIKE A MADMAN, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting saliva run down his beard.
(1 Sam 21:14 NIV) Achish said to his servants, "Look at the man! He is insane! Why bring him to me?
(1 Sam 22:1 NIV) David left Gath AND ESCAPED TO THE CAVE OF ADULLAM. When his brothers and his father's household heard about it, they went down to him there.
13. David enjoyed FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD’S CHOICE SERVANTS.
(1 Sam 19:18 NIV) When David had fled and made his escape, HE WENT TO SAMUEL AT RAMAH and told him all that Saul had done to him. Then he and Samuel went to Naioth and stayed there.
14. David had SUPERNATUAL SIGNS AND WONDERS OPERATING IN HIS LIFE.
(1 Sam 19:20 NIV) so he [Saul] sent men to capture him [David]. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, THE SPIRIT OF GOD CAME UPON SAUL'S MEN AND THEY ALSO PROPHESIED.
15. David enjoyed UNCONDITIONAL GENEROSITY.
(1 Sam 20:4 NIV) Jonathan said to David, "WHATEVER YOU WANT ME TO DO, I'LL DO FOR YOU."
16. David was offered RARE OPPORTUNITIES.
(1 Sam 18:17 NIV) Saul said to David, "HERE IS MY OLDER DAUGHTER MERAB. I WILL GIVE HER TO YOU IN MARRIAGE; only serve me bravely and fight the battles of the LORD." For Saul said to himself, "I will not raise a hand against him. Let the Philistines do that!"
17. God caused David’s enemies plans TO BACKFIRE.
(1 Sam 18:25 NIV) Saul replied, "Say to David, 'The king wants no other price for the bride than a hundred Philistine foreskins, to take revenge on his enemies.'" SAUL'S PLAN WAS TO HAVE DAVID FALL BY THE HANDS OF THE PHILISTINES.
(1 Sam 18:27 NIV) DAVID AND HIS MEN WENT OUT AND KILLED TWO HUNDRED PHILISTINES. He brought their foreskins and presented the full number to the king so that he might become the king's son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.
(1 Sam 18:28 NIV) WHEN SAUL REALIZED THAT THE LORD WAS WITH DAVID AND THAT HIS DAUGHTER MICHAL LOVED DAVID,
(1 Sam 18:29 NIV) Saul became still more afraid of him, and he remained his enemy the rest of his days.
18. God was with David.
(1 Sam 18:14 NIV) In everything he did he had great success, BECAUSE THE LORD WAS WITH HIM.
19. God will BLESS and DELIVER those you REPRESENT.
(1 Sam 19:5 NIV) HE TOOK HIS LIFE IN HIS HANDS WHEN HE KILLED THE PHILISTINE. THE LORD WON A GREAT VICTORY FOR ALL ISRAEL, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason?"
And the half has not been told!
The opportunities,
The escapes,
The joy David brought to the people,
The leadership abilities that God invested in the wise young man David
That enabled him to grow to be the wise old man David
Are absolutely astonishing!
The point is this:
There are indeed benefits of behaving wisely.
Let’s use David as a template of what to do
In whatever field of endeavor the Lord our God has placed us.
The Lord will not hesitate to award the same “benefits package”
To you and me
That He offered to David
If (and only if) what was said of David in 1 Samuel 18:14 can be said of us:
(1 Sam 18:14 KJV) And [INSERT YOUR NAME HERE] BEHAVED HIMSELF WISELY in all his ways; and the LORD was with him.”
DSR
4/4/01