God testified concerning David saying, "I have found David, a man after My own heart, who will do all my will" (Acts 13:22). Saul had been God's first choice as king of Israel. But Saul failed in both the tests that God gave him - through impatience (1 Sam. 13) and disobedience (1 Sam. 15). And so God took away the kingdom from him and gave it to David. But it was a long and arduous road that David trod from the time that he was anointed as king, to the time that he actually sat on the throne of Israel. During all those years he was tested by God in numerous ways - and he qualified.

Faithfulness at Home and at Work. The first thing we notice about David is that God called him when he was faithfully doing his earthly duties at home and in his place of work - as a shepherd-boy. "And Samuel said to Jesse (when he came to anoint one of Jesse's sons as king of Israel, at God's command), 'Are these all the children?' And he said, 'There remains yet the youngest (David), and behold, he is tending the sheep.'" (1 Sam. 16:11). Faithfulness at home and in our place of work is fundamental if God is to approve of our lives. Jesus never called an unemployed person to the ministry of the Word. Every apostle whose calling for the ministry is described in the gospels, was called from his place of work. The tragedy of Christian work today is that the vast majority of those in full-time Christian work are people who have never had a secular job at any time. This one fact alone makes it questionable whether God ever called them to His service. God places great importance on faithfulness in the ordinary tasks of our earthly life. That is what qualifies us for His service.

A Concern for God's Name. The second thing we see about David is his concern for the glory of God's Name. When Goliath was defying the armies of Israel, it was not some cheap desire for adventure that drove David to challenge the giant - but a concern for the honour of God's Name. We read that "David spoke to the men who were standing by him, saying, 'What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine, and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God?"(1 Sam. 17:26). The primary mark of every true servant of God is that uppermost in his thinking is a concern for the glory of God's Name. "Hallowed be Thy Name" is his first and spontaneous request in prayer. (Mt. 6:9). Everything else - personal comfort and security - is secondary. This is the point at which God tests all of us, in various circumstances. Few pass the test. David was one who did. The concern for the honour of God's Name was so intense in David, that a strong faith came into his heart that God would certainly help him to overcome Goliath. This faith drove away all his fear. Armed with that faith he went forth and slew the giant and drove away the enemies of Israel. If we were as concerned about the glory of God's Name as David was, we would also find that faith in God drives away all fear from our hearts and that Goliaths are slain. It is often because our concern for the glory of God is so little, that we remain in timidity instead of going forth boldly in faith.