Principles Under Pressure

“The LORD forbid that I should put out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go." 

—1 Samuel 26:11

How well do you do under pressure? How far would you go before you would abandon your integrity? I think that many of us hope to hold on to our integrity no matter what, but life can be a cruel teacher, and we all, at one time or another, have been a bit like Peter—which is to say, we have boldly professed our allegiance at one moment, only to turn back from it when under duress.

I have to say that I am amazed at King David and his ability to handle pressure. Before he was ever King he was simply a shepherd boy who was good at playing the harp. King Saul was his sovereign—the first king in Israel’s history. David became his personal musician and armor bearer (1 Samuel 16:19-23). Soon after his victory over Goliath, he became close friends with Saul’s son Jonathan (1 Samuel 18:3), was appointed a military leader (1 Samuel 18:5), and became the King’s son-in-law (1 Samuel 18:27). David achieved victory wherever he went, not to mention the admiration of the people. Even Jonathan abdicated his throne to David, much to Saul’s consternation (cf. 1 Samuel 18:3; 20:30-31; 22:8; 23:17). Fearing David’s popularity and jealous of his success, Saul tried to have David killed on twelve separate occasions. But David kept his integrity through the entire episode with Saul. Once Saul would hatch a plan to kill David, he would flee to the mountains as Saul pursued. But God would not give David over to the hand of Saul, nor would David hurt Saul when given the chance.

On two separate occasions, Saul sought to have David killed, only to find himself at David’s mercy. The first involved David fleeing from Saul’s army and hiding in a cave in 1 Samuel 24. It so happened that as David and his men were hiding in the cave, Saul came in to "use the bathroom"! It was while Saul was relieving himself that David’s men encouraged him to kill Saul while he had the chance. Indeed, it appeared as if God was giving Saul into David’s hand, but David instead cut off a portion of Saul's robe instead (1 Samuel 24:5). However, as soon as he cut the robe, his conscience struck him and he said,  

“The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD’s anointed"—1 Samuel 24:6. 

Even though Saul was trying to kill him, David wouldn’t harm him because he was the LORD’s anointed.

The second time Saul was delivered into David’s hands is found in 1 Samuel 26. While pursuing David, Saul and his men made camp. But David saw the entire set-up of the camp, and when it was late into the night and everyone was in a deep sleep, David and Abishai went to Saul. No one saw them or woke up to stop them. Upon arriving at Saul’s bed, Abishai asked David if he could kill him. But David refused, saying, “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?"—1 Samuel 26:9. He then said,

"As the LORD lives, the LORD will strike him, or his day will come to die, or he will go down into battle and perish. The LORD forbid that I should put out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go"—1 Samuel 26:10-11.

It was only after he was safely away from Saul that David called out to him, telling him what had just occurred and how he refused to harm him. And both times Saul admitted that he was wrong and that David would be king (1 Samuel 24:16-22) and successful (1 Samuel 26:21, 25).

God honored David’s integrity. David understood that Saul was God’s anointed, even though Samuel had anointed David to be king in Saul’s place (cf. 1 Samuel 16:13). Saul had hurt him in various ways, even going so far as to give David’s wife Michal to another man when David had angered him (cf. 1 Samuel 25:44). He'd made David’s life a living hell for years, yet David refused to assault or hurt Saul, even when given the chance. As far as David was concerned, until the day God took him away, Saul would be king.

How about you? How far are you willing to go to hold fast to God and His Word? How far are you willing to go to hold on to your integrity? David faced the prospect of death, yet he remained steadfast. He was alienated, abandoned, and alone and still he refused to compromise. I hope that all of us may be like him—obeying God’s Word in every circumstance, refusing to take shortcuts, nor give in when problems and pain pile up.

May the Lord our God enable each one of us to uphold our principles under pressure. May our steadfastness be worked for God’s glory and our joy. And may He use the testimony that comes from it to bring other people into the life-giving knowledge of Him. Amen.