Jump Start # 938

1 Samuel 16:12 “So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the Lord said, ‘Arise, anoint him; for this is he.’”

This week our Jump Starts are going to focus upon David. There is more about David than any other O.T. character. His resume is impressive: king of Israel, writer of Psalms, giant killer, after the heart of God. In the N.T., Jesus is referred to as the “son of David” several times. Christ is the descendent of David and sits upon his throne. David is impressive, incredible and very human. When he is doing well, it’s hard to beat David. When he fails, he really fails.

Our passage today is where the story of David begins. He is a teenager watching the family sheep out in the field. God was so disappointed with King Saul that a new leader was sought. God already knew who He wanted. Samuel, the prophet is set to the home of Jesse. Jesse had 8 sons. The fact that David is out watching the sheep tells us that they were not a wealthy family. People of substance would hire servants to do that task. David, most likely followed each of this brother’s footsteps. As soon as the next in line was old enough he was sent out to watch the sheep. I expect all eight boys had spent their time in the fields watching sheep.

Shepherding wasn’t a glamorous job. It was very lonely. The sheep were not in pens but out in the meadows. They had to be watched. They were easy targets for wolves and they would wander off if not looked after. While the family was in the warm house eating a meal together, the shepherd was out eating his meal alone watching the sheep. While the family slept in a warm bed, the shepherd slept out under the stars. There was no one to talk to while watching sheep. No cell phone…no Ipad…no Ipod…no gameboy…no earbuds to listen to music…no angry birds to play…just the shepherd and his imagination. I think an afternoon of that today for most teenagers would drive them batty. They would be so bored that they couldn’t stand it. While alone with the sheep, David did something that his brothers never did. He connected with God. Many of the Psalms reflect the outdoor universe that the shepherd would have experienced. David seemed to capture that and use it to grow a faith and a relationship with the Lord. Instead of wasting time wishing he was somewhere else. Instead of day dreaming about a bunch of nothing; instead of getting into trouble, David connected with God. With his harp he made his own music. Many of the Psalms were songs. Songs that David sung while out with the sheep. He wasn’t singing the top 40, he was singing praises to God.

This is why God chose David. Up to this point all David had done was watch sheep. He hadn’t severed in the military. There is nothing that tells us that he excelled in studies. He didn’t show any traits of great leadership. A teenager alone with the sheep. Yet he wasn’t alone. Nor did he waste his time. God saw something. God chose him to be the next king of Israel. A kid who knew nothing about armies, policy, foreign affairs, the workings of government, law or even working with people—God chose him. There was something that God saw. Something on the inside. Something that would grow and nurture into a great king.

There are lessons for us right here.

First, don’t give up on all young people. Don’t think that they are all shallow, unspiritual and lazy. David wasn’t. I’ve seen teenagers across this country who are excelling in what they are doing. Kind, helpful, faithful and loving the Lord—many of us “grown ups” could learn from them. Give them a chance. God did with David. Use them. God did with David. It’s tough being their age. Most of their classmates don’t have a clue, a moral guide, or any idea of what they should do beyond Friday. Dysfunctional homes are the norm any more. It’s hard on young people. When you see those who are trying, give them a hug and let them know you are proud of them. Do something for them that will be meaningful.

Second, we all have periods in which we are alone with the sheep. It may be long periods of time or it may be just short moments within a day.  Summer jobs can seem like time alone time with the sheep. Home with little babies can seem like that. Traveling on business can seem that way. Away in college is like that. Staying out with the sheep was not a career move. It’s not what David wanted to do for the next twenty years of his life. His brothers did it and moved on. Now it was his turn. We all have been there. Those cruddy summer jobs. I once worked for a place that raised gold fish and shipped them all over the world. There was a crew that sorted the fish. There was a crew that brought the fish in from the ponds. There was a packing and shipping crew. In the process of all of this, some of the fish didn’t make it. Massive trash cans were placed along the tables so the dead fish could be scooted off into the trash cans. There they remained. Dead fish. Until the trash cans were nearly over flowing then it was my job to load those heavy trash cans into the back of an old beat up pickup that was full of flies and drive it to a hill and dump them where about twenty years of dead fish lay rotting. The smell was overwhelming. I nearly tossed my cookies every time I did it and I had to do it once a week. I look back now and I never did what David did. I hated that job. I dreamed of getting out just as quick as I could. I longed for college to start so I could leave that job. There are ugly parts of shepherding as well. Sheep don’t do well with bugs, especially the ones that get in their ears. They can’t scratch their ears like a dog can. It drives the sheep crazy. Their only relief is when the shepherd puts his fingers into the sheep’s ears and pulls the bugs out. UGH. That’s probably worse than dead fish. Yet we don’t find David cursing his birth order, wishing to be somewhere else, wasting the day throwing rocks—he connected with God. He saw God in the hills. He saw God in the stars. He thought. He meditated. He reflected. He was spiritual.

I wonder how much time we waste wishing we were somewhere else, doing something else? Could we use the time to pray? Could we use the time to help someone? Could we use the time to be more spiritual? Waiting in traffic…pray or check the email? Sitting in study hall…doddle on paper or connect with God? Sitting in the doctor’s office…read the office magazines or reflect spiritually?

We all have times like David. God saw something in that teenager. He didn’t have his dad telling him to pray and think about God. He was out alone and chose to do that on his own. He didn’t have a preacher giving him assignments for the week. David’s heart led him to God.

What a great beginning…no wonder God saw something there. He was different than his brothers. He chose God. I wonder how we’d do with the sheep?

Roger