What does it take to succeed?

I have read and listened to so many books, articles, podcasts, about leadership, focus, productivity, achievement, success, etc. I find the topic interesting. I want to be good at what I do, I want to improve, I want to be successful. To be honest with you, it is difficult to measure success in ministry, but I guess it is difficult to measure in life in general. Do you measure how much money you make? How much power you have? How influential you are? How many followers you have? How many friends you have? How many members your church has? Your church attendance numbers? How many views your videos get? The number of downloads your podcast gets? How many employees you have? Your rank/position/title at your workplace? Do you measure success by how happy you are? How healthy you are? How much you can bench press? How fast you can run a mile? By the quality of your relationships?

How carefully should I follow the advice of the CEO who is on his third marriage? The entrepreneur who is a millionaire but never managed to make a relationship work longterm? The millionaire who struggles with depression and is deeply unhappy? Are those my goals? What kind of life do I want to live?

Though there are successful men and women who are extremely smart and talented, no one has a perfect life. We are all human beings and we all have our areas of struggle

Saul was chosen to be king. We have no record of his desire to be king. If anything we see in him a degree of hesitation and resistance to being king (see 1 Samuel 10 and my post Making a King). Saul was tall, he was handsome (Tall, Handsome, and Clueless), he won wars (You Shall Have Help). So what was the problem? Saul’s big problem was his faithfulness to God (Obedience During Emergencies).

What we need to understand, and what most leadership books will not tell you, is that at the heart of true success is faithfulness to God. True success is measured in faithfulness to God. The challenges are many with this. How do you measure faithfulness to God? Only you know how faithful you are, it is a heart matter. Another challenge is that there are no shortcuts. We are called to be faithful to God for our whole lives, throughout our lives. Sometimes it feels like success, otherwise, it looks like failure. But we must trust God that faithfulness is what we are called to, and we must be faithful when it is visibly rewarding, and when it feels like failure.

God had given Saul everything he needed to succeed as king (1 Samuel 10: 6-13, 17-24, 11:6-7, 14-15 post post). Directions were simple:

Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.”
- 1 Samuel 12:24-25 NKJV

Sadly Saul was only faithful when it was convenient. When he saw his soldiers leaving he offered a sacrifice that Samuel was supposed to offer (1 Samuel 13:6-12 Post), later when he was supposed to have killed all the Amalekites, he spared Agag their king (1 Samuel 15:8 Post). As time went by it became more and more clear that Saul was more concerned about his popularity, power, and influence, than he was about being faithful to God (The Abuse and Misuse of Religion). Sadly, faithfulness to God was the key to Saul’s success and Saul had disobeyed God in an attempt to strengthen his position as king.

The first king Israel had was what they had asked for, a king like all the nations (1 Samuel 8:5 post). This time, God would choose a king after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).

Time for Samuel to take a trip.

Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.”
- 1 Samuel 16:1 NKJV

This time we see Samuel for the first time not being sure of what to do. Samuel is aware of Saul’s desire to hold on to the throne and fears for his life. Samuel is an incredibly powerful and influential figure, and it is not difficult to imagine that if he anointed someone word would get to Saul. Samuel’s actions could even lead to a rebellion, the overthrowing of Saul, or a civil war. The people must have been aware that Saul had been rejected by God, and this would have caused everyone to be extra aware of Samuel’s moves since he had anointed Saul as Israel’s first king.

Did God tell Samuel to lie?

And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.”

But the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Then invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.”
- 1 Samuel 16:2-3 NKJV

Some might be tempted to argue along the lines of God makes the rules so He can make exceptions, so you should not lie unless God tells you to. However, when I look at Jesus dying on the cross, because the law demanded blood, death, of those who broke it (Genesis 2:17; Romans 5:12; Romans 6:23). Jesus had to die in our place because God’s law demanded it (2 Corinthians 5:21), and if God did not change His law to save the life of His Son, I doubt He would make exceptions for Samuel. So what is happening here? God’s will is not to begin a revolution, not to dethrone Saul and instate David right away. God wants David to know that he has been chosen to be king, much like Saul knew he would be king before anyone else knew (1 Samuel 9, post). So this anointing was important, especially for David, and Samuel, and eventually everyone else, but only when the time came.

Samuel would go there to Sacrifice to the Lord. For anyone who was interested, that was the reason for Samuel’s travel to Bethlehem. Samuel’s meeting with David was a private matter. In other words, Saul had no right to that information. The way I see it, Samuel was not lying, he was simply keeping things private, in other words, it was none of Saul’s business.

The elders trembled

It seems odd that the elders would tremble at the coming of Samuel. One interesting thought I read on this is that they might have thought there was an unsolved murder since Deuteronomy 21:1-9 calls for a ceremony involving a heifer. Another explanation was that Samuel was last seen rebuking king Saul and hacking Agag, king of the Amalekites, into pieces (1 Samuel 15:32-33) and they were afraid of what he might do next. Ultimately we can only speculate on why the elders were trembling, but they were relieved to find out Samuel had come peaceably. Samuel told them to sanctify or consecrate themselves, probably involved washing and putting on clean clothes and avoiding anything that would make them ceremonially unclean (Exodus 19:10, 14; Leviticus 7:19-21; 15:2-33; Numbers 19:11-22; Deuteronomy 23:10-11). Samuel then consecrates Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

This situation is unique in that no one knows exactly all that will happen. Samuel has more knowledge than anyone, but even he does not know who he will anoint. When Samuel sees Eliab, Jesse’s firstborn (1 Samuel 17:13) he was sure that he would be the next king of Israel. But he was mistaken.

Heart Matter

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
- 1 Samuel 16:7 NKJV

Saul, Israel’s first king, looked like royalty, he was tall and handsome (1 Samuel 9:2 post). But Israel’s second king was not going to be chosen based on appearances, he was not to be like the kings of all the other nations (1 Samuel 8:5 post), rather he was going to be a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14).

His success would not be because he was tall (though research seems to show that taller men make more money). God has this habit of turning conventional wisdom on its head.

 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. 
- 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 NKJV

We judge by appearances. It is hard not to. We make snap judgments based on appearances. The moment we see someone we decide how we feel about them. Since we cannot keep this from happening, what we can do is become aware of our bias, of our snap judgment, and try to hold back acting on it, and allow the person to reveal the contents of her character over time. I am not saying that appearances are not important, I am saying that appearances are not the most important factor. If you are going to invest heavily, invest in developing your character, your mind, your heart. Dress, well, be clean and neat and healthy. But invest heavily in being kind, honest, reliable. There are a lot of pretty faces in the world. Some people are born incredibly beautiful. We are limited regarding what we can do with our appearance. But showing up on time, having a positive attitude, refusing to give up, are achievable goals. Instead of complaining about not being very tall, or certain aspects of your appearance, focus on what you can shape and change.

You should care for yourself. Make sure you’re getting at least 7 hours of sleep, drinking plenty of water, eating healthy meals, getting exercise regularly, fresh air, some sunlight. When you do this you are investing in yourself. Take a class, learn a new skill, read a book. With the internet, there are endless opportunities to learn useful skills. Invest in yourself. Never stop learning. Stay curious, stay humble, spend time with God daily. Pray often. Who knows the plans that God has for you?

So Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.”
- 1 Samuel 16:8-11 NKJV

This is the first time we witness Samuel at a loss. Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel and even Samuel is a bit confused. When he had spotted Saul God spoke to him and it made perfect sense (1 Samuel 9:15-17). Now Samuel is not sure what is happening so he asks Jesse if anyone is missing. Interestingly one is missing. Jesse has one son, the youngest one, the one who gets stuck watching the sheep while his father and brothers go meet with Samuel who is likely the most influential figure in Israel since Moses. David ranked so low no one expected him to be significant enough to even be present for the sacrifice.

A fellow pastor once compared shepherds to cowboys. He argued that we (in the west) are too far removed from the figure of the shepherd and have a domesticated view of what it means to watch sheep. It is clean and cute and peaceful.

Jacob gives us a more realistic picture of what it meant to be a shepherd.

These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried their young, and I have not eaten the rams of your flock. That which was torn by beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it. You required it from my hand, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. There I was! In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night, and my sleep departed from my eyes.
- Genesis 31:38-40 NKJV

So why compare it to cowboys? Well, you are less likely to think that a cowboy has an easy life. Though you might be inclined to think of shepherds as having an easy life. Just to review what Jacob shared about his experience as a shepherd, shepherds had to deal with birth and miscarriages, attacks from wild beasts, thieves by day and night, plus the weather, drought by day and frost by night, and very little sleep or rest. Sounds like a pretty hazardous job, the kind that extremely demanding in multiple ways requiring physical fitness, mental sharpness, and bravery.

I sometimes wonder how I would have felt if I had been David. Would I have been resentful of my father and brothers for leaving me taking care of sheep while they went to enjoy a meal with the prophet? Would I have done a terrible job as a shepherd just so someone else would have to do it in my place?

The Smallest

By contrast with Saul, David was not the tallest, rather he is described as קָטָן (qatan) the “smallest” often translated as the youngest, it can also mean the least important. David did not look important. His father and brothers did not consider him important. When it came to David, what mattered most was the content of his heart. There in nature, taking care of sheep, David was being molded by God. The hardships, the quiet, the constant contact with nature caused David to ponder the power and majesty of God. Just read the book of Psalms and you will know what I am talking about.

The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
 Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
- Psalm 19:1-3 NKJ

The fact that God chose the youngest of Jesse’s sons seems odd at first, but then you realize that God has a habit of confounding social norms. Think of Abel, Seth, Noah, Isaac, Jacob, Rachel, Joseph, Ephraim, Moses, and maybe Abraham. Regarding his appearance, David was reddish, we don’t know if it meant his hair, like in the case of Esau (Genesis 25:24) or if it meant his skin, some believe it meant a healthy reddish color. Was he sunburned? Was he a redhead? Was his skin similar in some way to that of some Native Americans? Does it really matter? He had bright or beautiful eyes. He was the one. He was not as tall or handsome as his older brothers, but he wasn’t ugly. What qualified David was his heart, we know that God chose him because of his character, the physical description is what everyone else sees.

Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
- 1 Samuel 16:13 NKJV

David’s anointing is much more low-key than Saul’s. No series of confirming events, no fancy prophesying (1 Samuel 10 post), just and anointing, and just like that Samuel leaves.

If I was David I would have had so many questions! Now what? What do I do next? Imagine finding out you will be the next king of Israel, then going back to tend sheep. So here is what I take away from this. Especially for the younger crowd but this goes for all.

You don’t know exactly the plans that God has for you, for your future. But we know that God has called you, to be faithful to Him. So right now, as you go about your life, as you do your equivalent of taking care of sheep. As you face trials and dangers and discomfort. Do you notice God’s hand guiding you and preparing you for what He has in store for you? Do you see your current situation as an opportunity to further develop your heart? As an opportunity to draw closer to God? Do you see this pandemic as an opportunity to make some very important and necessary changes in your life?

God cares about the condition of the heart. And some time int he wilderness taking care of sheep can be beneficial. Moses did it for 40 years (Acts 7:30), Jacob also had to take care of sheep (Genesis 31:38-40), Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-2), Elijah was struggling with depression and went on a 40-day hike (1 Kings 19:4-8). Maybe you’re having a wilderness experience right now. Maybe you’re feeling vulnerable, or alone, lonely, scared, hurt. Perhaps this is an opportunity for you to work on your heart, to invite Jesus in, to grow stronger. It really does not matter how tall you are, the color of your hair, eyes, or skin. God looks at your heart, and even though the journey might be long, God wants to use you to do great things for him. Others might not see it in you. They may be oblivious to your potential just like David’s family was to his. What matters is your heart, and only you and God know the condition of your heart.

I would like to take this opportunity to ask that you take care of your heart, your character. Invite Jesus in and allow Him to clean it up as necessary fo His honor and glory.

I would like to close with the words of David, the man after God’s own heart. maybe you can make these words your prayer today.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.
- Pslam 51:10-13 NKJV