Yesterday, we learned about Saul and how, though he had all the worldly makings of a king, he was given over to arrogance that compromised his ability to lead. In fact, so upset was the Lord with his failure to govern justly that He decided a new ruler needed to be chosen. Once again, Samuel was appointed to find the right person for the job, so he headed over to the house of Jesse, who happened to have eight fine sons. When he arrived at their home, Jesse’s family nervously greeted the great man of God, wondering if he had come in peace. After making it clear that his visit was friendly, he asked to meet all the boys, seven of whom were present upon his entrance. The first one he beheld was Eliab, who was quite “Saul-like” in appearance and, at least from the outside, seemed like a logical choice to be king. However, God spoke very clearly against the prophet’s presumption that he was “the one” and stated that He had rejected him. As Samuel continued going down the line and finally came to the end, he asked Jesse if there was another son who was not present. Shyly and almost ashamedly, he spoke up and said, “Well, there’s my youngest, but he’s out tending to the sheep.” Certain that he would not be the pick, his father had failed to mention David to the prophet because he didn’t understand the fervor and faith that were in his heart.  

My friend, don’t be discouraged when people judge or discredit you for not having what it takes to succeed in the eyes of the world. You are never disqualified in the Kingdom of God, and your Savior is proud of the strength that’s deep inside you. You needn’t meet the mandates of others in order to make a great impact, but simply work on developing the kind of fortitude that chooses to do the right thing, even when it’s hard. Character is what counts, and as you focus on cultivating an inner life that flourishes, everything else will fall into place.