Today’s devotion comes from 1 Samuel 18:20-30.
“Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. When they told Saul, the thing was agreeable to him. Saul thought, “I will give her to him that she may become a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David, “For a second time you may be my son-in-law today.” Then Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David secretly, saying, ‘Behold, the king delights in you, and all his servants love you; now therefore, become the king’s son-in-law.’” So Saul’s servants spoke these words to David. But David said, “Is it trivial in your sight to become the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?” The servants of Saul reported to him according to these words which David spoke. Saul then said, “Thus you shall say to David, ‘The king does not desire any dowry except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to take vengeance on the king’s enemies.’” Now Saul planned to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. When his servants told David these words, it pleased David to become the king’s son-in-law. Before the days had expired David rose up and went, he and his men, and struck down two hundred men among the Philistines. Then David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. So Saul gave him Michal his daughter for a wife. When Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, then Saul was even more afraid of David. Thus Saul was David’s enemy continually.
Then the commanders of the Philistines went out to battle, and it happened as often as they went out, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul. So his name was highly esteemed.” 1 Samuel 18:20-30.
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Let us first meditate on a few specific examples of how David may have “behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul”. Although the highlighted verse 30 attributes it to: “it happened as often as they went out (to battle)”, we will also look at some other specific things that David did in the rest of today’s Scripture.
David was humble. David said to Saul’s servants: “Is it trivial in your sight to become the king’s son-in-law, since I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?” Verse 23.
“The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom,
And before honor comes humility.” Proverbs 15:33.
David was not in a rush to get rich, so to speak, by marrying into the royal family. David first declined Saul’s offer that David could marry his older daughter Merab. 1 Samuel 18:17-19. It was only after the second time presented in today’s Scripture that Saul pressured and deceived David that David accepted the challenge to be able to marry Saul’s other daughter, Michal.
“The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage,
But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.” Proverbs 21:5.
David did twice what was requested of him by Saul. Saul only requested “a hundred foreskins of the Philistines”, but David delivered two hundred foreskins to Saul.
“The hand of the diligent will rule,
But the slack hand will be put to forced labor.” Proverbs 12:24.
We learn elsewhere from Scripture about how David did in battle which is one of the toughest conditions of pressure to be wise. It is much easier to be wise, or at least appear wise, in peace and prosperity.
“Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,
For they are ever mine.” Psalm 119:98.
“Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
Who trains my hands for war,
And my fingers for battle;
2 My lovingkindness and my fortress,
My stronghold and my deliverer,
My shield and He in whom I take refuge,
Who subdues my people under me.” Psalm 144:1-2.
More important than trying to find a few examples of how David acted wisely so that we can exercise our own wisdom and our own will to copy them, we should focus on what the LORD does and provides, such as the wisdom and righteousness given to us by God, personified by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
“For the LORD gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” Proverbs 2:6.
“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5.
“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.” 1 Corinthians 1:30-31.
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