Fridays with David

Read 2 Samuel 5:9-12 – Then David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the City of David. And David built all around from the Millo and inward. So David went on and became great, and the Lord God of hosts was with him. Then Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters and masons. And they built David a house. So David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, and that He had exalted His kingdom for the sake of His people Israel. (NKJV)

Many leaders forget how they arrived at the opportunity to lead. They somehow think that the road to the top can be abandoned for life at the top. David will join a long list of others in making this mistake. While David often brings us back to our own trust in God, he had his moments of forgetting where his help came from. As people flock to anoint and bless him, David faces the enormous temptation to revel in the “blessings” he’s waited for. But these blessings will hinder his kingdom because they threaten to change him as a man. Beware of the perks of leadership roles. People often surround the leader, wanting to be close to him and be connected to him. While their kindness is to be appreciated, we can easily start thinking that we are deserving of such treatment. That kind of pride will bring a fall in the end—guaranteed. Don’t get accustomed to a life of privilege, but live each day in the knowledge that God has been your Strength and your Supplier.

– Dr. Mike Clarensau serves as Senior Director of the Healthy Church Network of the Assemblies of God.