Valuing the Assignment

Introduction

A Brief Background of Israel’s History

Since August is National Back to School Month, now is the perfect time to discuss valuing the assignment. For this article, valuing the assignment means diligently fulfilling the tasks and calling God gives you.

So let’s examine 1 Samuel 16:6-13 to discover how valuing the assignment helps David progress from a shepherd to a king.

Before analyzing David’s progression, I believe a glance at the desire of God’s chosen nation is beneficial.

Scripture reveals God’s desire to be the sole ruler of Israel since they are his special, chosen possession (Deuteronomy 7:6). Elohim is the sovereign God who delivers Israel from bondage in Egypt. Unfortunately, the Israelites struggle to remain devoted to their creator (1 Samuel 8:7).

Israel Desires an Earthly King 

Their waywardness continued during the period of judges as everyone did what was right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25). Self-absorbed wandering eyes caused the Israelites to envy their pagan neighbors who earthly kings governed (1 Samuel 8:5).

After constantly nagging God and ignoring the warnings of the prophet Samuel, the Israelites finally have a king (1 Samuel 8:10-22). Israel’s dream of having an earthly ruler becomes a nightmare as King Saul treats them how the prophet Samuel says he will.

What’s worse is that King Saul lacks a reputation for valuing the assignment as he repeatedly fails to follow God’s instructions. Instead, he follows vain ambitions and the presence of the Lord departs from his life (1  Samuel 15:1-35).

Once the Spirit of the Lord departs from Saul, God fulfills his vow to raise a leader in Israel who will be after his own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; 1 Samuel 16:7).

Valuing the Assignment: The Character of a Shepherd 

The Difference Between Faithfulness and Integrity 

The person God calls to be the next king of Israel is a young man named David. He is the youngest son of Jesse from Bethlehem responsible for watching his father’s sheep. 

Interestingly, through watching his father’s sheep, readers realize David understands he should approach every task with faithfulness and integrity.   

1 Samuel 16:10-11 proves this as David is watching sheep when Samuel anoints him as the next king of Israel. Being found watching the sheep shows David is trustworthy as he obeys his parents and fulfills his responsibility.

By valuing the assignment, David’s actions highlight the difference between faithfulness and integrity. 

Got Questions says faithfulness involves being reliable, steadfast, and unwavering. Scholars also believe those who strive to walk with and serve the Lord can be considered faithful. 

Workwise, faithfulness means being strict about performing a task with excellence and loyalty.

Integrity means doing what’s right even when tempted by convenience and the short-term advantages of doing wrong.  Compellingtruth.org supports this belief by mentioning how integrity helps believers display godly character resembling the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Why are Faithfulness and Integrity Important? 

Why is it important to be faithful to every task? Demonstrating faithfulness to every task shows God and others we can be trusted with small tasks. 

By being faithful to small tasks, we gain the trust and confidence of others. This is because they recognize our ability to handle greater work in the future. Faithfulness also helps young Christians set a positive example for others (1 Timothy 4:12).

Likewise, integrity is essential because it

• Provides peace as you work not worrying about being caught doing something wrong (Proverbs 10:9).
• Opportunity to show your faith through your actions (Matthew 5:16, Philippians 1:27).
• Allows you to gain favor in the sight of kings (authority figures) (Proverbs 22:11). 

The Preparation Process

Valuing the Assignment: Servanthood Before Kingship

After being anointed, I believe David realized God was taking him through a preparation process. The process prepares David for everything he will face as Israel’s king. 

God places David in a position where he must serve King Saul before becoming king. 1 Samuel 16:18-23 shows David was a faithful musician and armor bearer for Saul. 

In addition to serving King Saul, scripture shows David valuing the assignment in his preparation process by 

• Serving to his brothers (1 Samuel 17:12-20). 
• Slaying the giant Goliath (1 Samuel 17:32-58). 
• Being a mighty warrior 1 Samuel (18:1-7, 13-14). 
• Being Judah’s king for seven years (2 Samuel 2:11).

A Valuable Lesson

David’s journey acts as a valuable lesson for readers of all ages. We live in a world where instant success is coveted because of the money and validation available through hard work.

While hard work should be rewarded, immediate success does not develop godly character. Consequently, quick achievement may cause an underdeveloped person to compromise their integrity and fall into temptation.

Therefore, believers must serve the Lord faithfully knowing God is taking them through a process for his glory. 

For students, this means striving to perform well in the classroom, in extracurricular activities, and through their chores. For adults, this means serving your current job, ministry, and volunteer role well whether or not the position is favorable.

In time, you will gain favor with those searching for proven leaders who understand the importance of valuing the assignment.   

The Shepherd’s Desire

The Importance of a Pure Heart

David valued his assignments because he had a pure heart to please God. David’s intention causes me to wonder why having a pure heart before God is important. Having a pure heart before God is important because it

• Enables God to use people for his glory (1 Samuel 16:7).
• Allows believers to maintain an intimate-honest relationship with God (Psalm 51).

Like Saul, David lost focus on his assignment as King of Israel by becoming complacent with his responsibilities. David then commits sins that displease God (2 Samuel 11 and 12). 

Unlike Saul, David accepts responsibility for his actions, by asking God to forgive and not remove the Holy Spirit from his life (2 Samuel 12:1-13, Psalms 51:10-12).

David’s confession teaches Christians that whenever they fail to value the assignment, repentance must occur. Repenting allows God to restore believers in a way where he uses their mistakes to draw others to him.

David proves this by vowing to learn from his transgressions and teaching sinners the Lord’s ways (Psalm 51:13).

The Reward for a Pure Heart

God rewards David’s pure-hearted intentions by making a lasting covenant with David that one of his descendants would always be King of Israel (2 Samuel 7:8-17). 

God’s promise to David affects believers today in two ways. Jesus is a descendant of David and is the eternal King of Israel. Christ valued his assignment by transcending to earth at the right time and being crucified to offer salvation to all people (Philippians 2:5-8, Romans 5:6).

Christ’s ultimate mission is being fulfilled through believers today. God’s plan for every Christian is to use every aspect of our lives as an opportunity to share the gospel with others. 

The reason is Jesus will return to judge the earth and rapture away all who believe in him (2 Peter 3:3-10, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11).

Does this article compel you to value your assignments? How might God be using your current responsibilities to prepare you for the future? I would love to hear your thoughts. Your comments are greatly appreciated!