"He also chose David His servant, And took him from the sheepfolds; From following the ewes that had young He brought him, To shepherd Jacob His people, And Israel His inheritance.

So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, And guided them by the skillfulness of his hands." P78:70-72

COMMENT: As a teenager, David had the lowly job of shepherding his father Jesse's sheep.

The days were hot, the nights cold and full of danger. David took the low pay and the long hours as part of the price of honoring his father.

Starry nights led to sacred thoughts of the One who placed both them and David in the position which pleased their Creator.

Here too, the kindling of the fires of devotions, which would later flame up into powerful Psalms of passionate love for the Great Shepherd, were first experienced.

The spiritual courage derived from Godly contemplations given by God which would later cost Goliath his head, first found opportunity in the wilds, defending his father's sheep.

The savage lion and the maundering bear fell before the hand of a teen, empowered by God.

Three things are seen in our text which are directly linked to the Divine choice of David to be Israel's King. It seems they may be listed in order of importance, though all are essential.

1. David is seen as being attentive to the special needs of the pregnant ewes. Rough handling could cause them to slip their lambs prematurely.

So David displays a tender heart, a thing to be greatly desired in all leaders, but especially in the Lord's minister-leaders.

2. David had an honest heart before God and man, qualities he developed by first honoring his father and mother by doing their will while under their authority.

3. David had God given skills which were developed and honed by his interactions with all types of people.

He was a leader who listened to others, even if advice and counsel came from rough human messengers.

Listening always to all, did not negate the need for then choosing the way most honoring to God.

Of course, David is a rough draft of the Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus. He loves the least of us as though we were the greatest of us!

He tenderly cares for us who all are as great with spiritual potential as David's sheep once were with unborn lambs.

And His heart was never stained with even the thought of sin.

Lastly, it is the skill of Christ which has saved us from Hell and a barren life in the desert of this wilderness of a world.

His plan of offering His own sinless blood on our sinful behalf to save us forever, is unmatched by the greatest strategies of any of the greats of Heaven or Hell!

What a Shepherd! What a Savior! What a soon coming King!