Integrity is defined as the practice of being honest, consistent, and uncompromising adherence to strong moral and ethical principles and values. A person of great integrity is a rare person in our society. We tend to allow our circumstances to determine how we will react to each situation. This is not integrity! Integrity is determined long before a situation arises. There are guidelines that govern what, when, and how we do things. For a Christian, it should be God’s word that determines how we will respond to a situation. David proved he had integrity when dealing with Saul. Did he have character flaws? The answer is yes, but so do we. Today we will take a look at how he honored God in situations that most of us would justify by following the flesh.
In I Samuel chapter 26, Saul is in hot pursuit of David. He had a message telling him that David was in the wilderness of Ziph, and he took 3000 men with him to kill David. Saul’s jealousy had driven him to a point of no return. He wanted David killed because he feared David taking over the throne. David had never done anything to Saul to suggest that he would harm him or replace him on the throne, but a heart turned inward instead of upward always makes wrong choices.
David had a heart for God. His decision to honor God saved the life of Saul. There were two incidents where David could have taken the life of Saul, but he refused. In I Samuel 26:9, David’s military leader and nephew Abishai was ready to take the life of Saul. God had placed Saul and his army into a deep sleep and David and Abishai went into the camp and took Saul’s spear and his cruse full of water. David, this man of integrity, would not raise his hand against God’s anointed, and he wouldn’t allow anyone else to either.
I Samuel 26:9-12 “And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD’S anointed, and be guiltless? David said furthermore, As the LORD lives, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish. The LORD forbid that I should stretch forth mine hand against the LORD’S anointed: but, I pray thee, take thou now the spear that is at his bolster, and the cruse of water, and let us go. So David took the spear and the cruse of water from Saul’s bolster, and they got them away, and no man saw it, nor knew it, neither awaked: for they were all asleep; because a deep sleep from the LORD was fallen upon them.”
David’s display of integrity was due to his love and reverence for God. If he were to kill Saul, he would be raising his hand against God’s anointed. He understood that killing Saul would be going against the ordinance of God. David trusted God to take care of him. In chapter 25, God had taken care of his enemy. David was seeking to feed his men and sent them to ask Nabal for food. They had been with Nabal’s men in the fields tending sheep and they had not taken anything but had offered protection to them. Now, David is looking for help to feed his men. Before David could harm him, God killed Nabal.
The temptation was great for David to kill Saul. He had been chased and driven away from his homeland to survive. However, he knew if he raised his hand against Saul he would be sinning against God. This was not the first time David had refused the temptation to kill Saul. In chapter 24 Saul had gone into a cave to “cover his feet.” This implies he was going to take a nap. While asleep David cuts the skirt of Saul’s robe. David feels the guilt of his actions and refuses to let his men do any harm to God’s anointed.
I Samuel 24:3-7 “And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily. And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt. And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD. So, David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.”
What kind of integrity do you have? Would you have seen David’s situation as an opportunity from God? Would you convince yourself that God would not have given you the opportunity if He didn’t intend for you to take advantage of it? We need to know what God’s word says because there will be times that we can rationalize situations and still be wrong, even when it seems justified in our own eyes. David knew God and His word. He would have been aware of the verse in I Chronicles 16:22 where God was giving the command “Touch not mine anointed and do my prophets no harm.” His desire was to honor God in all his ways, when he failed, he repented. What is your response when you fail?
