What God looks for in a leader

LIVING WATER

Welcome to today’s episode of the Ocean Water Podcast. I’m your host, Dr. Ryan Dellamater. With my background in public health, counseling, and religious studies, along with my years of working with youth and helping bring clean water to communities, I’m really passionate about servant leadership because I believe that’s what it takes to make a tangible difference in people’s lives.

Through this lens, we’ve been looking at the book of 1 Samuel. Today, David is anointed king, and this is a powerful story that reminds us that real leadership isn’t about outward appearances but what’s going on in your heart. We’re going to look at a few things today: humility, obedience, and having a heart aligned with God’s purpose. These qualities are at the core of what it means to be an authentic leader, which is what we want to strive for.

In 1 Samuel, this chapter reveals the difference between the world’s standards and God’s standards, and how God looks at people so much differently than we do. It’s often contrary to what we think. This reminds us that God’s criteria for choosing people are often so much different than our own. God looks for humility and the role of obedience, whereas man looks at many external things. God looks at the heart, not at outward appearance.

Here, we see Samuel goes to Bethlehem to anoint a new king. As he arrives at Jesse’s house and begins looking at Jesse’s sons, he’s immediately drawn to Eliab, the eldest, because of his appearance. However, God corrects him by saying, “Do not consider his 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 God looks at the heart.”

This lesson is critical for us as well as for others. Real, authentic leadership is not about external qualities like charisma, appearance, or even skills. Instead, it’s about the condition of your heart. God is interested in people who have hearts aligned with His purpose, who are humble, and who seek His will above their own. David was even overlooked by his own father and relegated to tending sheep because his father didn’t think he had the right characteristics to be a leader, but God had different ideas for David.

The second point is that God uses the humble and the lowly. David’s position as a shepherd taught him humility. Shepherds of that time were often considered to have low social status, yet this is where David developed his skills. Do not despise humble beginnings. His work as a shepherd prepared him for future leadership because it cultivated patience, caring for others, and protecting the vulnerable. Humility is one of the most important characteristics of an authentic, godly leader. A leader who is humble and looks out for the concerns of others is already positioned to influence them in a godly way.

God often calls leaders from unexpected places. David was the youngest of eight brothers, and no one, including Samuel, God’s prophet, expected him to be king. God uses the humble because they are teachable, compassionate, and they know what it feels like to be overlooked.

Real leadership comes from a place of service, not a place of superiority. Lastly, obedience to God’s will is essential. Samuel’s obedience is another key theme in this chapter. Despite mourning over Saul’s failure, Samuel obeys God’s command to anoint a new king. He could have hesitated out of fear, knowing Saul could retaliate, but Samuel trusted God’s plan. Leadership requires obedience to God’s calling, even when it’s uncomfortable and risky. David also demonstrates obedience throughout his life, including waiting patiently to be installed as king after he was anointed.

Today, we need to be willing to follow God’s direction, even when it contradicts conventional wisdom or brings challenges. Like Samuel and David, true leaders trust God’s timing and plans, which are always higher than our own.

Wrapping it up, thanks for joining me today as we’ve looked at 1 Samuel 16. We see that David’s anointing and authentic leadership weren’t about appearances; they were about his heart, humility, and obedience to God. I hope these teachings encourage you to reflect on your own leadership, wherever you are, and to embrace the qualities that matter most.

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