The Boy Who Would Be King: 7 Lessons from the Life of David

By Shaniqua D. Rischer

Called and anointed as king as an adolescent, King David is one of the most central figures of the Christian faith as an ancestor of Christ. Who was this man that God ordered after His own heart? And what lessons can we learn from him today?

David was a man who experienced great and momentous highs in his walk with the Lord.&nb

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wintness Publications
• Release date: Sep 7, 2020
• ISBN: 9780578748986

Book preview

Author’s Note

When I look at my life and think about the life of King David from the Bible, I see parallels in our journey. I kept repeating the same lesson in my professional career. Why did I continue getting in situations at work that started off good––but ended horribly––with my resigning (or being laid off)? My work was excellent; I always met or exceeded expectations, but eventually, there would be a breakdown in communication with my superior or a member of the executive staff. For the life of me, I could not understand how to break the cycle. What was I missing? It was not until my last employee/employer relationship that I learned the most valuable lesson of my professional career. I learned it from David. God used David’s story as a tool and a teachable moment for me. But, before we discuss my lesson and my journey, first let us take a look at David.

Over 3,000 years ago, in Israel, David was born to a landowner named Jesse. Jesse, a descendent of Boaz and Ruth from the town of Bethlehem, had eight sons. David was the youngest and the least imposing of his sons. So much so, David was an afterthought when the prophet Samuel asked Jesse to present all of his sons to him at a sacrificial feast where he intended to announce the next anointed king. The other sons were older and more experienced in life. Some served in the army; therefore, they were outwardly more impressive. Yet, none of them were whom the Lord instructed Samuel to find. It was not until Samuel pressed Jesse that he even thought to summon young David from the fields where he was shepherding the family’s flocks. It was at that feast, and at that moment, Samuel anointed the next King of Israel. Although anointed king by the Lord, it would be over 20 years later before David was appointed king and assumed the throne of a unified Israel. During those years, he would serve and submit to Israel’s first king, King Saul, despite unprovoked attempts on his life by King Saul – personally and a hatred for David that led to the madness of Saul. He would then reign forty years circa 1010-970 BCE.

I do not know precisely when I noticed the parallels between my life and David’s. Perhaps it was when I understood David’s journey of submission to King Saul despite personal attacks and disagreements. Or maybe it was even the long ascension to the throne as king – after he was anointed and called by the Lord through Samuel when he was forced to wait to become king. I most certainly could relate to both.

I first received my call to ministry in 1999 in a hotel room in Metairie, Louisiana. It was one of the most spiritual, miraculous, and terrifying moments of my life. Yet, even though I was called, I struggled to accept that I was supposed to preach. I found a middle ground in 2006 when I received my Masters in Christian Education and committed to doing something for God, just not preaching. This way, I submitted to Him in a limited lifestyle capacity. However, partial obedience is still disobedience. Because I still was not happy and went through a dark season in my life that lasted two years until I finally accepted my call to preach in 2011. You would think everything would have been great after finally submitting to the call to preach. Not quite. Life got darker with health issues, the death of my father, and being frustrated with the whole ministry licensing process, which took seven years, instead of the outlined two years, to complete. The process was not as laid out and organized as I expected, as the program and licensing leadership changed, and the class schedule did as well. In 2018, nineteen years after hearing and experiencing the Lord’s calling in a literal sense, I was finally licensed to preach. I received my papers, the document that legitimizes a preacher in some church circles. It was a long journey. It was arduous and challenging; I was broken and humbled, and to be honest, parts of me died in the process. Yet behind that piece of paper, there is also so much joy, peace, increased discernment, learning, unprecedented growth, clear revelation, humility, and faith. Each thing, good and what others may see as not so good, were gifts from God...my Adonai…my Lord. That is one parallel between David and me; the length of time between the calling and the anointing with the appointment.

The other parallel is my career. This lesson turned my entire life around. Within one week after being hired at my last job, I felt I had made a mistake. My new boss and I were already having run-ins and a clash of personalities. I immediately regretted my decision to return to work and started to look for another job. Nine months later, I was still looking – desperately so. Then one day, when I asked God why, He brought me to the story of David. I realized I needed to learn to submit to an authority that I may not get along with nor agree with. Yes, I still felt justified about everything I was experiencing and had experienced. However, I did not know how to simply submit to an appointed person even if I was anointed to disrupt the status quo. David’s story taught me a lot. And the moment I learned how to submit, my entire world changed, including my relationship with my boss. It went from a relationship I was desperate to leave to one that has become one of my life blessings – even after I eventually quit my job for ministry and to start my own business. I learned a lot from my boss, and I grew in more ways than I imagined. My spirit was humbled and how I responded to adversity changed. All of which helped me survive the most challenging year of my life. That is what studying the life and story of David did for me.

Yet, that is just one lesson learned from David. There are several more. I have identified seven lessons that David’s life can teach us. Although David’s life is only accounted for in three books of the Bible, 1&2 Samuel and 1 Kings,  – four, if you count his authorship for some of Psalms, there is much to be learned from the man identified as after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22).  Especially for those, such as myself, who desire to be a person after God’s own heart today. This book will take you on that journey.

Lastly, after each chapter, you will find a list of study questions to help you reflect on the readings.

I invite you to join me on the journey of revelation found by opening my mind and heart to the lessons revealed by David. I believe your life will be impacted by his story just as my life was changed. Let us begin.

Introduction – The Boy Who Would Be King

Scripture Reference:

Now the Lord said to Samuel, You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.… Then Samuel asked, Are these all the sons you have? There is still the youngest, Jesse replied. But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep and goats. Send for him at once, Samuel said. We will not sit down to eat until he arrives. So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome, with beautiful eyes. And the Lord said, This is the one; anoint him. So as David stood there among his brothers, Samuel took the flask of olive oil he had brought and anointed David with the oil. And the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David from that day on. Then Samuel returned to Ramah. (1 Samuel‬ 16‬:1, 11-13‬ NLT‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Journal Entry:

Samuel came to see my father today. He rejected all seven of my brothers, and then called me in from the fields. Before his visit, I expected nothing more of my life than being the baby brother and a shepherd. By custom, the inheritance went to the firstborn son, so I knew anything my father left for me would be small. So, training to be and becoming a shepherd of the flock is all I knew, even at a young age. And it is a life I love. The days and nights I spent amongst my sheep were some of the best of my life. I kept up with my father’s sheep and was trusted with doing so. Yet, even while I worked as a shepherd, often it was just Adonai and