I remember eavesdropping on a conversation between my dad and another pastor, in which they were discussing how churches find pastors. Among Baptists, the church chooses its own leader, forming a search committee, fielding resumes, examining recommendations and finally bringing a candidate to the church. In the other pastor's denomination, the district superintendent (whatever his official title was) would select pastors and assign them to churches. My dad asserted that our system had to be the worst way. The pastor from the other denomination disagreed, arguing that their system was even worse.
Selecting leaders for God's people has always been tricky.
1 Samuel 9-12 (today's reading and tomorrow's) tells the story of the selection of Saul as the first king of Israel. He was such an impressive young man. Tall, handsome, energetic and enthusiastic; everything a nation could want in its leader. Israel was excited about the selection of their new king.
Things did not work out so well with Saul though. He was not careful in obedience to God and eventually God set him aside and had Samuel anoint a young shepherd boy from Bethlehem to succeed him. David had few of the physical characteristics or innate talents of Saul, but he was the one whose house was established by covenant as an eternal line.
What was the difference between Saul and David? By many human metrics, Saul was the better candidate. All too many pulpit committees would have chosen him over David. But in God's eyes, David was vastly superior. Why? Because David was a man of obedience, a man after God's heart. Saul was self-confident, willful and often not obedient.
God doesn't need our creativity or our talents. He created an entire world just by speaking. Our creativity loses a little in comparison. He is an awesome God and is not much impressed with our awesomeness. The sacrifice that pleases God is a sincere heart, a devoted life, a body yielded to his service, a pure and undiluted passion for him.
I wish I knew how to quantify that principle for pastoral search committees. I can't. But the principle is clear in Scripture. The greatest quality of a leader, or any believer for that matter, is simply obedience and a willingness to do whatever God has said.
Father, I am reminded that it is not about my talents, abilities or efforts, but about obedience to you. May I be more like King David than King Saul - a man whose greatest quality is obedience.
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