Better Man

Saul, Israel’s first king, was a great man, he had every kind of success a man could imagine. But God said that David, still in his teens and in his father’s pastures, was a “better” man. We invest so much of our time, our energy and our lives to become great men, when becoming a better man is a simpler and more significant pursuit. And it’s all about your heart.
Saul had all kinds of worldly success and even Godly success. He was favoured by God and chosen to be the very first king over Israel. Samuel anointed Saul and God empowered him for this great position. Saul was filled with passion and purpose for God’s people and achieved significant military victories. Saul became the ultimate power in Israel, leading a strong army and all of God’s people.
Under pressure, and in spite of all of this success and respect as a great man, Saul’s heart failed him. Even though God had set him as ruler over the people he desperately wanted to please the people around him. God’s favour wasn’t enough, he was hungry for the favour of man. He was afraid of losing his position and his power and this fear led him to do foolish things. He couldn’t wait long enough and trust in God to bring the victory so he took things into his own hands. He made vows that sounded strong and tough but bound him to kill his son. He thought it would be enough just to partly obey what God had told him to do. He made excuses and went through the motions of repentance but didn’t have the heart to follow through. God rejected Saul as king and took it all away.
Samuel said to him, "The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you. 1 Samuel 15:28
This “one better” was still a boy, his own father didn’t rate him when Samuel came looking for the one anointed to be the next king. Even Samuel was more impressed with his older brothers. “But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).
David was chosen and commended for his heart after God. He had spent time – time after time, in God’s presence and meditating on him. His Psalms show the depth of his intimate relationship with Father God. David was heart-strong and his whole identity was found in his sonship of his Heavenly Father.
His passion for God and absolute trust in Him meant he could take out the giant Goliath. His bravery and skill led to many achievements in battle. He never gave up his destiny or gave in to short cuts when Saul spent years trying to kill him. In everything David honoured Father God and acted according to His truth and justice, even when it was difficult, even it when it cost him. David was a “better” man because his heart was set after God.
Most of our modern successful males are something like Saul. They have great achievements in their skill areas, mostly good intentions and favour with the people around them. The fault lines are always along stress fractures of the heart. We accept these guys, and so we should, as troubled-heroes or diamonds-in-the-rough but it is often the heart issues that hurt the people around them or lead them to destroy themselves.
David made mistakes too. His were perhaps greater than Saul’s. But David’s repentance was always deep and true – and from the heart. Either way God’s assessment of us isn’t on a success vs. failure scale as we imagine. God considers our hearts, as David sang as he repented in Psalm 51, “Surely you desire truth in the inner parts”.
In the end and in their ends, these two men are remembered very differently. Saul had so much success but after an empty death there was nothing left. David’s line continued through to Jesus Himself. Throughout God’s Word he is commended as the greatest. Not for his achievements, or perfection – but for his heart.
Neither Saul nor David were superhuman. We can relate to their humanity, although perhaps more with their mistakes than their achievements. We are not likely to be anointed to be kings of Israel but God has called us to certain positions and given us power for His purpose. We must choose what we will go after and what kind of men we want to be. Do you want to be a great man or a better man?
As we start the New Year let’s consider the health of our hearts. I am praying for my family that we would have strong hearts in 2010. I pray that God would continue to apply his grace and power to the weaknesses of our hearts, and that we would have the courage to keep our hearts fresh, open and honest.
Mark