A lot of us are familiar with the stories of David. How, as a young man he was anointed the future King of Israel. How he defeated Goliath. How he served in Saul’s Court and how the life of a simple shepherd boy grew to be the story of a legendary king. Even before he had the crown, David was an incredible leader if not an unusual one. Here’s the Word on David.

I Samuel 16:7 & 12 says, “But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature…for the LORD does not see as man sees; for many look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart…So he sent and brought in [David]. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the LORD said “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!”

Several things about this story I find interesting.

First, the obvious: God’s not looking for those who seem to be the best and the brightest. He’s looking for someone whose heart is fully His. I Corinthians chapter one reminds us that if God can do anything with absolutely nothing then surely He can do something with me! What’s in your heart?

Next, the subtle: Samuel must be thick-headed. God says, “Don’t look at his appearance, look at His heart.” Yet what does Samuel describe when he meets David? “He’s ruddy, bright-eyed and good looking!” I think we do the same thing. We say, “Yes God, I’ll look at the heart.” Then we look around and see the well spoken, well educated, well equipped, highly resourced world around us and think – If I want to be successful in God’s eyes I’ve got to be like them! Nothing could be further from the truth. If you want to be successful in God’s eyes stop trying to look like them and start trying to look like HIM!

Now, the sublime: “I’m anointed, now what!?” It must have been David’s first thought. “I’m anointed to be King. I’m anointed to lead. I’m anointed to be God’s man for such a time as this. So, what do I do now?” And Samuel tells us. David went right back to tending sheep. As a Believer in Jesus Christ you have been anointed with the Holy Spirit of God. Now what? As the anointed King of Israel, David served as a Shepherd. It was years and many seemingly insurmountable challenges later that David actually took the crown as King.

That’s what we mean when we say ‘Lead Where You Are’. As a Believer in Jesus Christ you’ve been anointed with His Holy Spirit. Lead where you are. You’ve been given immeasurable grace, unrelenting mercy, overwhelming resources, inconceivable authority and unending power. You may not be King yet…God’s purpose may not be for you to be King ever. Be He has a purpose for you nonetheless and He has anointed you, and you alone to fulfill it. Lead where you are.

The book of Acts tells us that David served God in his generation. That service didn’t begin with a crown. It began with a shepherd’s crook. It began when He was anointed by the power of God for the purpose of God. You too are one of God’s anointed – whether you’re shepherd or king, lead where you are.

Love y’all, God Bless,
Chad