5 Lessons King David’s Life Teaches About Integrity
“When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability.” -Proverbs 28:2
A King Of Integrity
King David: conquerer of Goliath, commander of Israel’s Armies, and then King over Israel. What a man’s man.
And what a feat — to go from a Shepherd boy to the Palace as King.
David had such a history with God, and His life was marked by greatness and Integrity. David was the Taylor Lautner of his time (yes I just said that), and as the Chronicler says, “He was a man after God’s own heart.” You can safely say that He arrived.
So what did He do when He arrived?
We will talk about that. But first:
He Started from the Bottom Now He’s Here
What would you do if you arrived?
What would you do if you finally found that thing, that status or position? You are hungry for something, right? What Is God placing in front of you?
Have you ever “arrived”, only to fall down?
Or did you maintain the breakthrough? It takes integrity to maintain what God gives you. It takes persistence, determination, and consistency to make sure you’re focused.
Vineyards are not tended once every few months. Neither are marriages, jobs, your walk with God, or your personal health. None of these blessings can be leased out for others to take responsibility for. They have to be tended by you.
So what did He do after receiving Kingship?
“In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem.” -2 Samuel 11
David took a break.
He decided to throw in the excused absence slip and take a vacay, I suppose. The Bible never gave a reason why, but it does infer that David is at the wrong place at the wrong time.
I wonder if all of the overwhelming victory caused by David’s leadership was really beginning to affect him. He made it, he arrived. In fact, he didn’t really need to be there. The army was kicking Ammonite tale.
Regardless, David was a Shepherd by nature and a leader by the calling of God. He was designed to lead men face to face, not from afar.
Integrity is Your Three Pointer
Every great person live by core values and integrity. They pave pathways in life rather than just allow life to take its course.
David didn’t have to feel personally responsible for Goliath. But He did.
He didn’t have to spare Saul’s life. But he did.
He didn’t have to demonstrate enough leadership to raise up leaders who were Giant slayers, known as David’s Mighty Men. But He did.
He built a culture within him during those years of trial. David’s character shown in highlightable moments, but these small glimpses of greatness were built on the Shepherd’s field as He was a boy.
This was years of preparation for the center stage.
No Life Coach would suggest that job title (Shepherd) to be the fast track to greatness. None. I find it encouraging to know that God can develop you within your profession, wherever, because what goes on inside of you determines where you are headed in life.
David’s heart would push him towards the throne. It was not title, prestige, good money or job, not even favor with His family that did that for him. This is what was said during the time David was anointed as king:
“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his (David’s brother) appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” -1 Samuel 16:7
Do you want to learn from a leader who hit the mark? Read Psalms and Proverbs, and become passionate enough to hunger to see God transform your life.
God never held a person back from transformational leadership, and the invitation will always be on the table, regardless of your position as “a lone shepherd’s boy.”
David’s Flop
Unfortunately, David’s story does not end well. He was Absent from His purpose, But you know what was immediately present? Temptation. It’s like a filler. Somehow temptation always sneaks in when you guard is down. Here’s what happened:
One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful, and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home. The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.” -2 Samuel 11:2–5
David murders Bathsheba’s husband (who was one of David’s Mighty Men). God gets angry at David, and the baby that Bathsheba conceived with David dies. David mourns and begs for mercy, but the child still passes.
The result? The entire story from that moment on results in a civil war and division in His family. He nearly lost His Kingdom and His life because of an uprising. The consequences for His actions were severe — Which is why I bring His story up in the first place to make a point.
Influence — Integrity = Failure
Here is why you needed to read this article:
Your passion, hunger, or even your gift will bring you before Kings, but your integrity is what will keep you there.
“Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank.”
-Proverbs 22:29
Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to falsehood, who does not swear deceitfully.…”
-Psalm 23:4
I believe that it’s not because David was an evil man that He fell. David repented for His tragic move. I think what really happened is that David lacked vision when He left the Battlefield. But just because He left the battlefield didn’t mean He was safe. In fact, right where God was calling Him was the safest place to be. His absence paved the way for the battle to enter into His very mind.
Absent from the Battlefield = Present Danger
David was a man with passion. And Unfortunately, He found something else to replace what he lost when he was absent from what he was called to do.
I find that temptation most often happens when we are idle, unengaged, and not doing what we’re called to do.
-We try to sedate our pain or agitation by medicating with other things.
-We chase fun (and it’s fleeting)
-We want romantic relationships (and they’re shallow)
-We eat more than necessary so that our brain numbs ourselves (also known as a dopamine fix).
-We sleep in.
-We get depressed.
And then we make stupid decisions.
All because we were bored and unengaged, out of community, and lacking vision.
Proverbs 29:18 says, Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;
but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.”
…If you can’t restrain yourself, there’s a target on your back for temptation. If you lack vision, you lack motivation. If you lack motivation, you ease off. And that’s where temptation begins to intensify.
Revelation is God’s divine instruction. It’s that North Star, the plans that He gives for us. Ephesians puts it this way:
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. — Ephesians 2:10
God has something for you, and he had something for David. Which was the issue for David. He lost focus in that moment. He forgot who He really was in His time of absence.
Don’t let that happen in your life.
Bold As Lions Yet Innocent as Lambs
I want you and I to think deeply about the lifestyle that God has called us to live. I want to see believers move passionately and boldly for Jesus and see Him move on a national level. That’s my heart. I want Revival — which means that God reawakens our communities to the Gospel of Jesus. Where His Kingdom is being established, and people are being saved, healed, and delivered… And I am certainly not the only one.
Just imagine for a second what it would look like when…
- There is a transformation in families because believers model healthy family
- People with every sickness and disease get healed just like when Jesus did in Matthew…
- Nations forgive one another and open up their borders…
- Businesses fund the Gospel all over the world and demonstrate the Kingdom in the Marketplace….
- Artists create beautiful movies, artwork, plays, music, and TV shows to demonstrate the purpose and the love of God to the world.
- Believers contribute to the eradication of Sex trafficking and Drug trafficking…
- Educators disciple children into their God-given destinies.
- The end poverty and injustice with resources…
- The world has access to clean water…
And the list could go on.
The irony is that these things are already happening, whether it’s broadcasted or not.
But,
Could you imagine what it would look like, for you in your life?
It starts with you and me.
And It begins with Integrity.
Never lose focus on what God has placed right in front of you. Your family, the friends and believers you live around, your job, college etc. The question is, how can you be part of bringing revival to these areas of your sphere of influence? An absence of vision won’t do it for you or for me.
Insights into Integrity
Here are some things that we can look forward to living out from David’s life:
- David should have been involved. Never leave where God is calling you to be.
- God has given you and I hunger. It’s meant to be fulfilled by Him. Let’s not make room for temptation (which is like spiritual Twinkies). David’s consequences were deadly. Just avoid the deadly altogether.
- Integrity means we keep our word and stay faithful. We should hold ourselves accountable to the standard we want to live out based on God’s Word and calling.
- Decide now what you will do when your faith is tested. What will you do if you’re asked to do something that you know is sin? If you set up guard rails now, it’ll protect you in the day of temptation, so that your day of temptation won’t turn into possible years of pain.
- God can redeem every mistake. Read what David did here after his fall if you’re going through this.
Questions:
- What would you do if you were David in order to keep yourself from falling?
- What boundaries do you need to put in your life to make sure you avoid temptations in the future?
Make an agreement with yourself about what you’ll do and not do today. (For example, I decided to stay sexually pure when I was 15 and I kept that promise.)
Blessings,
Shane
If this was impactful to you, please share, comment, and connect! You can find more content and connect over on my Instagram or youtube where I post weekly content.
