Lessons from David, the ‘Comeback Kid’ -Babatunde Olugboji

One of the most instructive statements in the Bible can be found in Acts 13:22 where God was almost bragging about David as being the man after his own heart; an individual who would do everything God required of him.

Despite David’s many transgressions, you can almost describe him, in today’s parlance, as the ‘comeback kid,’ for he came back from the brink several times. It is like the case of the righteous person falling seven times, but each time he fell, he rose again, unlike the wicked who stumbled when calamity struck (Pro. 24:6). What are those qualities we should emulate about David?
1. He practiced genuine repentance: It was not so much about the nature of David’s sins, grievous as they were, that was significant, but what he did about those blemishes when confronted with their crude reality (2Sam 12:13). David’s psalms of penitence (Psm 32; 51) revealed the tenderness that adorned his spirit. He admitted to Nathan that he sinned against God ; but admitting our sin and asking for forgiveness is not complete without repentance and renouncing those sins (Pro. 28:13). David did what we should all do: repent of our sins (Psm. 51:1-2; 25:11).
2. He shunned bitterness: He refused to kill Saul when he had the opportunity (1Sam. 24: 8-10, 26). By so doing, he acknowledged that vengeance is the Lord’s (Rom. 12:19).
3. He was not slothful: Have you noticed that there is no evidence in the Bible of God using a lazy person? Moses was hardworking, so were the disciples, who were washing their nets when Jesus asked them to follow him. In the same vein, David was diligent, saving his sheep from lions, tigers and bears at the risk of his own life. The Bible admonishes us not to be lazy, but to work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically (Rom. 12:11).
4. He was thirsty and passionate for God: David wanted to know more of God (Psm. 18:1, 4:7).

David was a man after God’s own heart because the aforementioned are the things that God desires of us. Indeed, David had a lot of blemishes and the Bible does not attempt to veneer his blunders. It throws the floodlight upon both his triumphs and tragedies. The common expressions city of David, seed of David, throne of David and house of David, are testimonies to his stature, despite his mistakes. For Jesus to acknowledge himself as the “son of David” is a commentary on the greatness of this celebrated king.

David faced a lot of challenges, but he came through them all. He was hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. He always carried around in his body the death of Jesus, and the life of Jesus was revealed in him (2Cor. 4:8-10).

Let me end by suggesting a few questions for your personal reflection: “At the end of the race God has marked out for me, can God describe me as a man or woman after his heart? Can God compliment me the way he complimented David? Am I at the heart of God’s agenda?

Kingdom Dynamics, a weekly column is written by Dr. Babatunde Olugboji, the President, Kingdom House, a non-profit organization in New Jersey, USA.