Respecting The Power Behind Authority

He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’? This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’” (1 Samuel 24:9-10)

Let’s continue our discussion of the story of David and Saul that we began yesterday. As a reminder, in our key passage of Scripture, David is not yet king and being hunted by the king at the time, Saul.

David didn’t have a high view of Saul the man. He didn’t have much respect for Saul the person, but he had a supremely, extremely high view of God and the power of God that put Saul on the throne. Did Saul personally deserve much respect? Not at all. But it wasn’t Saul’s character that was on the line. It was David’s. He didn’t focus on what Saul had tried to do to him. He focused on what God had done for Saul and would do for him.

There is something we can all know about every ruler who is ruling anywhere, anytime, anyplace. Whether that ruler realizes it or not, behind every ruler is the sovereign power of God. He is the power behind all power, and David was not going to replace what God had put in place. He was not going to dethrone what God had enthroned and since God was the one who put Saul in, God would be the one to take Saul out.

Remember this. Disrespectful people will always try to drag you down to their level. But just because someone chooses to disrespect you does not mean you have to disrespect them. Let us respect the God who sent Jesus and let us give others the respect that God has given us, whether they’ve technically earned it or not.

Dear Lord, I want to be respectful not because other people have earned respect, but because I respect you and want to honor you. Help me to remember that you are the power behind all power and the leader behind all leaders. In Jesus’ name, amen.