If you’ve been a leader in your youth group, you’ve probably found out how frustrating leadership can be. You’ve pushed and prodded and poked, and you’ve probably found out that it just doesn’t work. David’s way of leading is better. David set out to accomplish a task. When others saw what he was doing, they joined him. His volunteer team grew “until he had a great army.” That’s how spiritual leadership works. Set out to accomplish something important, and rely on those who are willing to volunteer. Leading by example is always more effective than getting behind others and trying to push.
Do your parents have trouble understanding why you just can’t wear the clothes they think you should wear? Try this Bible story. A foreign king humiliated David’s messengers by shaving off their beards and cutting up their clothes. David let his messengers stay in Jericho until their beards had grown back and they could return to Jerusalem without embarrassment. Ask your mom and dad to be as sensitive as David. It can be humiliating if your clothing is too different from that of other teens. If your parents understand just how you feel, they just might give you more freedom to dress the way you want.
“The devil made me do it!” Some people actually believe that Satan is responsible when they do something that’s wrong. But is he?
First Chronicles 21:1 tells you that Satan “incited” David to do something wrong. When David was later confronted by God, he didn’t say, “The devil made me do it.” He said, “I, the shepherd, have sinned and done wrong” (1 Chronicles 21:17). Satan may tempt you, but he can’t make you sin. It’s your choice, and you don’t have to choose to do wrong. You’re free to choose what is right.
So what should you do when Satan tempts you?
• Remember what the Bible teaches and act on it (Matthew 4:1–11).
• “Resist the devil, and he will flee” (James 4:7).
• Remember: Christ is far more powerful than Satan (1 John 4:4).
Can you sense David’s concern in this verse: “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced”? We know Solomon as history’s wisest man, but to David, Solomon was still his little boy. Most parents worry about their children. “He’s gone for the evening with all his friends. Will he be OK?” “This is her first real date. I won’t sleep until she gets home safely.” It’s not that they don’t trust you. It’s just love. Yes, it can be irritating at times, but part of loving is being concerned about the person you love. Maybe if you sense the love, the feeling that Mom or Dad is hanging over your shoulder watching will be a little easier to deal with.
It’s easy to feel lost in church. You sit there in the pew. You stand up to sing or say the responsive reading. And nobody cares if you’re there or not. Or so it may seem. Read some of the weird names in this passage: Zeri, Shimei, Hashabiah, Uzziel, Jerimoth, Mallothi, Hothir, and so on. Who in the world are these people, and why are they in the Bible? They’re people who served God by leading in worship. And, although no one today knows who they are, God knows them and gave them a place in his Word. Don’t ever feel lost in church. God knows you’re there. And he lists you among his worshipers.
Can God truly be real to you? Lots of kids believe in God but aren’t sure how to experience him. Read David’s advice to Solomon: Acknowledge God and “serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind.” Then David promises: “If you seek him, he will be found by you.” And he gives this assurance: God “searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought.” You won’t always obey the Lord. You’ll fall short at times. But God won’t evaluate you only by what you do. He’ll look deeper. And if you are committed to serving God with wholehearted devotion, he’ll know you. And you’ll know him.
1 Chronicles
Journal.
This book contains, in genealogies, a religious history of the Israelite nation from creation to the return of the captives in 538 B.C. It was God’s journal, his record of what was important in his people’s lives. God’s more interested in our successes than our failures.