Pam Padgett ... teacher
Reading in 1 Samuel about David fleeing from Saul who sought to
kill him, it stood out to me that David cared for the welfare of others
even as he was being pursued and his own life was in danger. As he was able, he helped those needing his help.
David saw to it that his parents were safe while he was being hunted by Saul, taking them to dwell with the king of Moab ...
1 Samuel 22:3 And David went thence to Mizpeh of Moab: and he said
unto the king of Moab, Let my father and my mother, I pray thee, come
forth, and be with you, till I know what God will do for me. 4 And he
brought them before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the
while that David was in the hold.
Saul had Ahimelech the priest and all his father's house and the city of Nob destroyed because Doeg reported that Ahimelech had
helped David. But one of Ahimelech's sons, Abiathar escaped and came to
David. David told Abiathar to stay with him and he would be
safeguarded ....
1 Samuel 22:20 And one of the sons of Ahimelech the son of Ahitub,
named Abiathar, escaped, and fled after David. 21 And Abiathar shewed
David that Saul had slain the Lord 's priests. 22 And David said unto
Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he
would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons
of thy father's house. 23 Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that
seeketh my life seeketh thy life: but with me thou shalt be in
safeguard.
When David heard that the Philistines fought against Keilah, David
didn't ignore their plight. He turned to God and asked if he should fight the
Philistines, and was told to go save Keilah. When the men with David
were afraid to go, David didn't let the matter drop. He again turned to
God and was again told to go and that God would deliver the Philistines
to him. So David and his men fought the Philistines and saved the inhabitants of Keilah ...
1 Samuel 23:1 Then they told David, saying, Behold, the
Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. 2
Therefore David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go and smite these
Philistines? And the Lord said unto David, Go, and smite the
Philistines, and save Keilah. 3 And David's men said unto him, Behold,
we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah
against the armies of the Philistines? 4 Then David enquired of the Lord
yet again. And the Lord answered him and said, Arise, go down to
Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. 5 So David
and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought
away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David
saved the inhabitants of Keilah.
When the shepherds of
Nabal were with David and his men, they were not harmed. One of Nabal's young men reported to
Abigail that they were treated well and protected night and day by David and his men
...
1 Samuel 25:15 But the men were very good unto us, and
we were not hurt, neither missed we any thing, as long as we were
conversant with them, when we were in the fields: 16 They were a wall
unto us both by night and day, all the while we were with them keeping
the sheep.
Each of us face various problems, some larger and more serious than others. It can be helpful to consider that David cared about the welfare of others as well as his own. As he was able and led by God, he helped those who came across his path. Dealing
well with others in the sight of God even in the midst of trouble.