BIBLE READING: 1 Samuel 14-15
Saul’s reign as the King of Israel is about to spiral out of control because of his pride and arrogance. Yet even though he will be forever remembered for his faults, there are a few bright spots that we can learn from his life. One of those bright spots in the life of Saul is that he knew how to surround himself with the right kind of people. We know that as soon as David slays the giant, Saul brings him into his kingdom because of his bravery and his ability to play the harp, unknowingly that David had already been anointed by God as the next King over Israel. However, there is something recorded about Saul even before David comes into the picture that speaks volumes about his peer selection. 1 Samuel 14. 52 reveals that there was some very difficult fighting against the Philistines. Saul knew that there would be a constant need of soldiers that he could use in his army as the battles continued. Notice the las part of that verse, “…when Saul say any strong man or any valiant man, he attached him to himself” (1 Samuel 14. 52). Saul knew that if he was going to defeat the Philistines, he was going to have to surround himself with these valiant, strong men. These men would be crucial to him winning these battles against their enemies. The same should be said about us. If we are wanting to learn how to be better at standing against the wiles of the Devil, then we need to surround ourselves with strong, valiant Christians who can help us. If history tells us anything about relationships, it’s that we as human beings tend to adapt to our surroundings. That means if we hang around people that are not very Christ-like, we will generally develop the same types of habits of those people. Paul says it this way in 1 Corinthians 15.33…”Evil company ruins good morals’. I believe that the opposite of this is also true; good company enforces good morals. Personally, it seems that the more I am around Christian people, the more likely I am to do Christian things. King Saul understood this principle. He knew that his chances of victory against his enemies were greatly increased the more strong and valiant men he had in his company. Saul knew he had to surround himself with the right kind of people that would help him accomplish his purpose. What about you? What does the company you keep say about your purpose in life? Let’s make sure we surround ourselves with the right kind of people that will help us gain the ultimate victory.