Today’s Reading: 1 Samuel 17; Psalm 9; Matthew 2
Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:55-58
55 As Saul watched David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is that young man?"
Abner replied, "As surely as you live, O king, I don't know."
56 The king said, "Find out whose son this young man is."
57 As soon as David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with David still holding the Philistine's head.
58 "Whose son are you, young man?" Saul asked him.
David said, "I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem."
Observation: Whose son are you? That is the question that Saul wanted to know about David. Why? Because he wanted to know who David was. And in those days, they believed that if you knew the father, you understood the son.
I don’t think they were far off. The apple doesn’t far from the tree. But today, TV raises more children than fathers do. But if a person is truly raised and trained by someone, whether it’s a father or mentor or grandparent or coach, understanding the person would be greatly enhanced by knowing the trainer.
Application: We all have had significant people in our lives who have shaped and influenced us. You can’t choose your parents but even those who had an abusive upbringing have the opportunity to find someone to admire and follow. You and I have the power to decide just who it is we will put in that place in our lives. We choose our teachers. Who is it that you admire? Who is it that you have given the right to lead you and speak into your life? Some people think that they don’t have to have a person in that role. But that’s not true. If you have no person in that role then you are the person in that role. You are leading yourself and following yourself. I think this is not a good idea. So choose and choose well. Follow a person whose life demonstrates high character and healthy relationships. Learn to function and grow under the authority of a person who will place an indelible stamp of excellence and integrity on your life.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for the excellent models You have given me. Lord, I ask that You would help all of us to find good people to lead us in Your ways. Thank You for faithful men and women who have blazed the trail before us. May we live in such a way as to bring honor to You and to our fathers in the faith.
This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
1 comment:
You are so right in saying that it is we ourselves who choose who we will follow and allow to mentor us. I know many godly parents who did a great job teaching and modeling good values and decision making to their children only to have them reject thst instruction and choose other mentors (or no mentors) when they became old enough to do so. On the other hand, I've known many people who were raised with no good example (even highly negative ones, such as abusive parents) who, when they came of age, chose to follow good men or women of character and substance and changed their lives for the better. Our own youth pastor, Matt Rose, is a stellar example of that. Ultimately, we are each responsible to be the best possible mentors for others by being consistent in word and action and also to be resposible to choose and follow willingly those who can take us further toward living in an intimate relationship with God. Cynthia Stipech
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