In stark contrast to what we see around us today, in this passage, we find that David was not hungry for power. Saul, the existing king, was hunting David in order to kill him. Because of unusual circumstances David had an opportunity to kill Saul but didn’t take it. He cut off the corner of Saul’s robe instead.

David already knew that the kingdom would be his but he wanted to make sure that it was in God’s way, not his own. This is a bit like Jesus when he was tempted by Satan to take a ‘short cut’ to becoming King. Jesus knew that He must only become King through the cross … he had to die and be raised again to life. In this way others could be saved by His sacrificial love.

In Jesus we see the powerful choice to be weak because God will, in his timing, do what is right. We are to leave it to God to judge. He will vindicate his people because they know the kingdom is already theirs through the cross. All people need to seek refuge in Jesus Christ, God’s anointed King..