The Whole Shebang

Then the princes of the Philistines went out to war. And so it was, whenever they went out, that David behaved more wisely than all the servants of Saul, so that his name became highly esteemed. 1 Samuel 18:30 (NKJV)

1 Samuel 18 start out with David and Jonathan building a true friendship, building a covenant, loving each other as their own soul. David increased in popularity, yet he stayed humble and attributed his success to God. Even though David showed no intention of taking King Sauls throne, he was jealous of David and wanted him dead. Saul tried to personally pin him with his spear twice, he used his daughters to cause a snare for him, and put him on the front lines, hoping the Philistines would kill him. Even though he could have taken the throne, David served Saul faithfully, because God had put him there. Because David valued friendship, stayed humble, was wise in his dealings, and trusted in the Lord, he was protected by God. David was the whole shebang.

1 Samuel 18 teaches valuable lessons about friendship, humility, the dangers of jealousy, and the importance of God's presence in our lives. 1 Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." So, how should we walk in His workmanship? We need to be a true friend and encourage and uplift one another, especially in challenging times. Instead of fostering jealousy, we should celebrate the successes of others and focus on our unique paths, and our achievements should be viewed as gifts from God rather than personal accomplishments. 1 Samuel 18 encourages us to build strong, supportive relationships, remain humble in our successes, guard against jealousy, and trust in God's protection and guidance.

Choose to be like David. Get to know the people you go to church with. Don't just shake their hands on Sunday and say good morning and then go do your own thing. Choose to be a friend that is there in a time of need. Be humble and don't boast about yourself but celebrate their accomplishments. Remember to be wise and in all things, go to God in prayer and meditation in His word. God made you to be the whole shebang.