One of the great leaders of the Bible is King David. Here are a few leadership lessons from his life that I have extracted and been meditating on.
Beginning with 1 Samuel 18:5, “So David went out wherever Saul sent him and behaved 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.”
A little background: David was a courageous young shepherd who loved the Lord. The prophet Samuel anointed him to be king by pouring oil on his head, as was the tradition. David would not be king until later in his life. At this point, Saul was king. David had just killed Goliath, the giant warrior who was threatening the armies of Israel.
How am I accepted in the sight of the people I want to lead?
The verse above says that David was “accepted in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.” In other words, the people of Israel, as well as the royal court of King Saul, liked him.
As leaders, we sometimes forget that the people we lead must accept us. Even though we have a place of authority, when people do not accept us, like us, or even love us, then we are not fully effective with them. I want to offer three reasons why people may have accepted David.
Spend time among your people.
The Bible says, “But all Israel and Judah loved David because he went out and came in before them.” I love this picture of a leader. David was out among the people. He did not isolate himself away with other leaders. He went out and came in before them. For us, this is a reminder that regardless of our position, we must be among our people. You may lead a very large company, such that you cannot be with all of your people. If that is the case, I encourage you to at least be with some of them on a regular basis. Listen to your people. Care for them. Be present in their lives.
Be prudent in speech.
The Bible says that the people told Saul about David and that these were his qualities, “Look, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the Lord is with him.”
I want to be prudent in speech, don’t you? What comes out of our mouths as leaders goes a long way toward establishing acceptance with our people. Many times, we are not careful about what we say. My goal is to be quick to listen and slow to speak.
May the Lord be with you.
Many times in the Bible, it is said that the Lord was with David, and the people saw that. One passage says that David was a man after God’s own heart.
I believe when people see that we aren’t just after results, profits, and organization-building, but that we also have an eternal perspective about our lives and the lives of others, they are drawn to us. I personally believe that most people appreciate it when their leaders have a connection to God.
I hope and pray that you will honor the people you lead so you may be accepted in their sight. Without acceptance, we have to resort to pressure and manipulation to manage people, and those are neither effective nor healthy ways to lead.
The article today is adapted from one of our leadership articles published in 2020. I pray it is an encouragement to you in your spiritual walk and your leadership journey.
How can I support you more as a Christian leader and entrepreneur?
