Re:Verse reading–1 Samuel 16 (day five) 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
It was a momentous occasion. Anointed to be king! As the oil rushes over David’s head, the Spirit of God rushes on him. What comes next? Robe and crown fittings? Elite leadership training? No. Samuel goes back to Ramah and David returns to tending the sheep. David must wait and trust in God’s timing. And we know that God used the time in the pasture as preparation for David’s future. Skills to be learned. Attitudes to be formed. Character to be developed. God uses our regular everyday routines and tasks to prepare us for His planned future. School, singleness, marriage, parenting, and work (just to name a few) are all “pastures” that the Lord will send us to and through to develop character, patience, integrity, discipline, devotion, and servanthood. If God is developing those things in us, what could God’s future plan look like?
God chose David to rule over Irael. God chose those whose hearts are after His heart and prepared them to lead His ways. God determined who would be on the leadership pipeline and gave them time to continue to do their current jobs and to develop leadership competencies for future positions. He did not rush as workforce development or succession planning is a process. We just have to listen and know where God is leading us into the future.
Each of us could have been placed in a leadership position. It can be at workplaces or churches or at homes as parents. God prepares us where we are at and helps us develop skills and competencies along the way until we are ready to assume the position of responsibilities. God will place us in the right position at the right time. We better believe it.
I am convinced that God looks for different qualities in leaders than we would look for. He chose David over Saul. He looks at a person’s heart. God mat have watched David’s heart for a long time.
God established a succession planning framework that we should follow. We chose qualified candidates, not at a person’s heart as a selection criteria, for our succession planning program and prepared them for the qualifications and competencies needed to succeed in future leadership positions.
Probably we could minimize selection error by adding the “compassionate for the mission” to the selection criteria. Leaders are likely successful if they lead from the heart. If we follow God’s model of selection, we will have leaders who think like Jesus and act like Jesus, who choose humility over arrogance, and who choose obedience over rebellion. Leaders shape the culture of their organization, Godly’s culture versus Satan’s culture. When God chooses someone, He will prepare that person for moving forward and for completing the mission! Keep our current jobs while developing leadership competencies. Go with the space!