A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART

David is known as a man after God’s own heart ( 1 Samuel 13:14 ). This criterion for a king was pronounced by God Himself when He told King Saul that his kingdom would not endure. Of course, this standard God looks for does not apply only to kings; it is what God seeks in every person. What an honour it is to be declared by God as someone after His own heart. But what does this mean? A look at David and his character will reveal what God looks for in us.

There are many good qualities of David that endear him both to others and to God. Here I will highlight one that stood out for me while preparing my junior Bible class lesson last September on David and Mephibosheth.

Mephiboseth is the son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul. He was lame accidentally when he was five years-old. When David became king of Israel and Judah or what we called the United Kingdom, he wanted to show kindness to Saul’s family for the sake of Jonathan. What a grateful person David was. His kindness endures through generations; just like his God - God’s kindness extends to mankind through all generations as He wished all to be saved.  His advisors mentioned Ziba, a servant of Saul’s household. Ziba was summoned to see King David. David asked him if there was anyone of the house of Saul that he could show the kindness of God. Mephibosheth was brought to David and he was to eat with David the king for the rest of his life. Ziba and his family would also serve Mephiboseth for the rest of his life. Can you imagine that a person with a disability was not only provided food but also given the honour of sitting with the king for his daily meals? David exalted Mephibosheth in the eyes of others through this kind act. His loving act met not only his basic needs but also his emotional ones. Perhaps this serves as a good lesson for us on how to treat people around us with health conditions or impairments. I would call this kindness “overload”—but why? Mephibosheth regarded himself as a “dead dog” (2 Samuel 9:8), yet he was given kingly honour. Love is kind (1 Corinthians 13:4), and God certainly desires that we be kind to all. Our kindness should not be limited to those we know or like. A truly loving Christian shows kindness naturally.

When we show kindness to others, we reflect what God is. How can we reflect God? By becoming more like Him in His ways. That is how David is a man after God’s own heart. His thoughts, attitudes and actions reflect what God is like. 

How can we become people after God’s own heart? 

A closer look at David will reveal more of what he was like. Here, I will just highlight a few examples (striking to me) that reflect his relationship with God and with others. 

David was devoted to God. Such devotion was expressed through a very close relationship he had with God, desiring to obey and please his maker. Although his sin with Bathsheba caused him to become evil in plotting against Bathsheba’s husband, David repented when God sent Nathan to rebuke him. No excuses or justifications or ramblings did David make when he realised how sinful the affair was. He was most willing to obey God and repent. He also accepted the consequence (the death of the child he had with Bathsheba) without resentment, as seen when he worshipped God afterward (2 Samuel 12:20). Sometimes, when bad things happen to us, we blame God and consequently waver in our worship and service to Him. Yet David’s actions reveal a passionate worship of God. We also see David’s devotion expressed in his songs and psalms (2 Samuel 22). His devotion was single-minded and unwavering, despite any circumstances. In Psalm 51, David prayed for God to create a clean heart in him and renew a right spirit within him. He was willing to repent, humble himself, and restore his relationship with God. In Psalm 16:8, during his flight from King Saul and while in the wilderness, David trustingly said, “I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” This clearly revealed the focus of his devotion.

David gave his best for God in preparing a temple. He would not give to the Lord that which cost him nothing (2 Samuel 24:24). Although King Solomon was the one who built the temple, David made great preparations for it (1 Chronicles 22:1-5). As Solomon was still young then, David prepared the building materials abundantly before his death. The iron, the nails, the brass, and the cedar trees (the best from Tyre) were all provided in great abundance. The friendship he cultivated with Hiram, the King of Tyre, I believe, was guided by a vision aligned with his desire to build a temple for God. To David, the temple for the LORD had to be exceedingly magnificent, renowned, and glorious throughout all lands. David gave his best to his Master. We may have no temple to build today, yet do we offer our best when it comes to God and His work—in terms of priorities, time, effort and relationships?

David deeply respected God’s authority. Even when presented with some opportunities to kill Saul, he chose not to despite the urging of his men who felt strongly for him. King Saul was, without doubt, his enemy as he sought to kill him relentlessly. It would be great to get rid of his enemy. How much hatred and resentment would we have borne if our enemies (those of higher authority than us) scoffed at us, let alone attempted to kill us? Yet, even when given the opportunity, David refrained from killing Saul, recognizing God’s sovereignty and honouring His authority. Do we likewise respect God’s authority in our lives? Be it His Word, His commands, or the leadership He has placed in His church, respect should be given if we are truly seeking God’s own heart.

Don’t we love David? I am thankful we have such biblical characters whose lives are clearly recorded in the Bible, so that we can learn from and emulate them. Most importantly, through his life, we can know what God looks for in us – a heart devoted to Him, ready to humble itself, to repent, and to obey Him, manifested outwardly in many desirable virtues, with kindness being especially highlighted here.