Psalm 39:4
“Carve your name on hearts not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the
minds of others and the stories they share about you”(Shannon
L Alder)
1 Samuel 17
1 .David’s
Legacy
·
God-fearing king
·
A man close to the heart of God
·
The poet/psalmist
·
Mighty warrior
His victory over Goliath made him a legend,
but would not have materialised if had listened to the
belittling remarks by Eliab, his oldest
brother & king Saul.
Firstly, Eliab belittled David by asking
him where he left his few sheep.
Eliab also called him conceited and wicked.
One can detect envy in his attitude because
by this time David was already anointed as king
by the prophet Samuel.
David was not discouraged or side-tracked
by his remarks and mistreatment.
Secondly, Saul told David that he was too
young and inexperienced to fight a seasoned warrior like Goliath.
David in turn, told Saul about his battles
as a shepherd.
He conquered ‘little giants” before he
conquered Goliath, the giant.
Nobody but David and God knew about these
personal victories.
Both Eliab and Saul undermined David.
After David told the king about this, he
gave him permission to fight Goliath, but still prescribed
how the battle should be fought.
Saul dressed David in his tunic/armor as if
this would secure victory.
David knew that God was his Helper and so shrugged
off the tunic.
Instead, he fought with the same weaponry
that he was accustomed to.
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of
comfort and convenience,
but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy” Martin Luther King Jr.
David revealed his strength of character
and personhood during battles.
2. Ways
in which David built his legacy
·
He began with the end in
mind
God made a
Covenant with David that One of his Offsprings will establish the throne of his
kingdom forever.(2 Samuel 7:4-17)
·
He excelled/did his best in
every task he had to perform
From tending the
sheep, to writing poems, to playing music, to leading the people of Israel, to
warrior
·
He was fearless &
courageous in the face of adversity
David fought many battles
with his men and had to frequently be on the run for his life
Because he became a
formidable force.
·
He trusted in God completely
·
God first; He always consulted
with God first before making decisions
·
He was quick to repent/admit
his mistakes and sins
·
He loved God and the people he
served
·
He was content in the season in
which he found himself
David never
underestimated the days of small beginnings. He was not frustrated when he
didn’t
become king
immediately after he was anointed by Samuel. It took quite a few years for him
to
eventually
become the king of Israel.
·
He was authentic
David did not
try to impersonate a more experienced Saul.
·
He was unstoppable; kept going
in spite of great challenges
·
He took ownership of his
mission and purpose as future leader and king
He recruited
people who were in distress, discontented and in debt and became their leader
(2 Samuel 22:2)
·
He believed in himself/was
confident in his abilities
·
He reminded himself of past
victories during challenges & difficulties ie he shifted his focus
from the problem to the One
Who gave him victory before.
3.Your
legacy
A legacy is something- reputation;
characteristics; money; property-that is passed onto others
It develops from a life dedicated to
self-reflection and purpose
“Work for a cause, not applause;
Live life to express, not impress;
Don’t strive to make your presence noticed, just make your absence
felt”(unknown)
You
can start building your legacy by means of the following:
·
Find your purpose/mission-live
for something bigger than yourself
·
Make every day count-do
something worth-while with the time at your disposal
·
Live with passion and compassion
for others
·
Believe in yourself; even if
others doubt you
·
Take ownership of your dream, this
will eventually lead to your legacy
·
Guard your heart through
self-reflection and prayer time
Begin with the end in mind.
How would you like to be remembered one
day?
You can live on through the legacy you
leave and the positive impact you can make in the world.
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