Picking the right people - Daily Devotional July 2nd 2009

Daily Bible Reading Plan - 1 Samuel 14, Isaiah 58, Matthew 1-2

Picking the right people (1 Samuel 14:52)

Whether you are a businessman hiring employees, a pastor looking for staff members or some one just wanting good friends we are all faced with the job of picking the right people. In this process I am sure we have all made some great choices and some bad choices. As a matter of fact as you are reading this I am sure people are coming to your mind right now. The crazy thing to think about is that you and I may have been that bad pick at one time or another.

As we look at the life of Saul it is easy to see all the mistakes he made but here in 1 Samuel 14:52 we see that Saul also made some good decisions. Saul, in this instance knew how to do what we so often fail to do, pick the right people. It says that whenever Saul saw someone that was strong or valiant he would attach them to himself. He did not care if they were stronger than him or if they were more valiant than he was. He looked for these qualities and when he found it he wanted to be around that person.

This is such a powerful principle for both leaders and lay people alike. Too often times we surround ourselves with people that are just a tad bit weaker or a tad less valiant because this brings us a false sense of security and keeps our position in tact. You will often see this quality in people and leaders that did not have strong father figures growing up as they never learned how to have a stronger leader then themselves around. In the future when a strong leader gets around them they do not know how to handle it. This was not the case for Saul at this moment (later with David that was a different story).

We need to learn the principle in Proverbs 27:17, "Iron sharpens Iron, and one man sharpens another". The only way one metal can sharpen another metal is if it is harder and stronger than the other. Proverbs is saying, if you want to be a sharper stronger person you have to surround yourselves with people like Saul did. You have to surround yourself with people who are stronger and more valiant than you are. If you want to be wiser you must surround yourself with people that are wiser than you are etc.

Take a moment today and think about your life. Who are you surrounding yourself with? Are you picking the right people? Who in your life is stronger, wiser and more valiant than you are? Spend time with them, hang out with them, talk with them. You will be challenged, you will grow and you will be able to better influence people for righteousness.

Tomorrows Bible Reading - 1 Samuel 15, Isaiah 59, Matthew 3-4

Dream Big
Ben