Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him. Saul’s servants then said to him, “Behold now, an evil spirit from God is terrorizing you. Let our lord now command your servants who are before you. Let them seek a man who is a skillful player on the harp; and it shall come about when the evil spirit from God is on you, that he shall play the harp with his hand, and you will be well.” So Saul said to his servants, “Provide for me now a man who can play well and bring him to me.” Then one of the young men said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is a skillful musician, a mighty man of valor, a warrior, one prudent in speech, and a handsome man; and the LORD is with him.” So Saul sent messengers to Jesse and said, “Send me your son David who is with the flock.” Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread and a jug of wine and a young goat, and sent them to Saul by David his son. Then David came to Saul and attended him; and Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armor bearer. Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Let David now stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.” So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him.
1 Samuel 16:14-23
A problem in the palace is your ticket to transformation.
David tended his father’s flocks until King Saul needed some- one to play the strings in a way that brought him peace. David had a reputation for playing beautiful music, and when the need arose, someone of influence mentioned David’s skill (gift) to the king. Once David was able to solve King Saul’s “tormenting” problem, Saul loved him greatly, and this “problem-solving lad” became favored by the king. Favor leads to investment and mentorship. Following this season, David killed Goliath, and Saul took notice of him again. Now, David was no longer permitted to tend his father’s flock; instead, he remained in the palace.
Some of my greatest lessons came from managers who poorly managed or people who failed. Wise people learn from their mis- takes; the wisest learn from other people’s mistakes.
You can learn from bad leadership, too. Under Saul’s tutelage, David would be trained in the ways of the palace, battle, politics, and many other skills due to his proximity to Saul. This was God’s way of readying him for his future. When a problem arises, know that it is God presenting you with an opportunity to increase your influence in a way so He can better position you for your future assignment. Timothy had Paul, Elisha had Elijah, Joshua had Moses, and so on. Here are a few things you can do to attract a good mentor when positioning yourself.
QUALITIES OF A GOOD MENTEE
- Value your mentor’s investment in you by doing what they tell you to do, being on time, listening intently, and taking action on what you learn.
- Show gratitude by thanking them often.
- Honor the mentor relationship by returning to show them what you have done with what they gave you.
REFLECT TO CONNECT
- In what ways have you been mentored before and by whom?
- Have your greatest mentors been teachers, coworkers, bosses, parents, or someone else of significance in your life?
- Which mentors has God put you in proximity to? Have you discerned what you are to learn from them?
Wise people learn from their mistakes; the wisest learn from other people’s mistakes and successes.
