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Looking to King David as an example of a manly man, someone bold and eager to fight fight, missed the whole point of 1–2 Samuel. A thread. 1/
It’s always odd seeing “David was a manly man, and you can too!” floating around, since 1–2 Samuel’s thesis is literally, “God doesn’t look at things like humans do. Humans see only what is visible to the eyes, but the LORD sees into the heart” (1 Sam 16:7). 2/
First Samuel focuses mostly on the contrast between Saul and David. But this is in service of the larger concern of 1–2 Samuel: what does a life oriented toward God look like? 3/
What sets David apart isn’t masculinity. Both David and Saul are described as being physically prominent and impressive figures. 4/
It isn’t a superhuman ability to know and to do what is inherently right. Both are inclined to do bad things (they’re in the Bible, after all, where no figures are totally great examples). (CC: @AmyEBurdett1) 5/
What sets David apart is bold obedience, a willingness to accept humbly his own limitations and total dependence on God. 6/
In the cave at En Gedi (1 Sam 24), David, with the counsel of his men, was ready to kill an unaware Saul who was going to the bathroom. But his heart convicted him, and he repented. 7/
In response to Nabal’s hardness (1 Sam 25), David was prepared to annihilate the whole village. But Abigail, a woman (*gasp*), challenged him, and he again repented and acknowledged how God used Abigail. 8/
In other words, David, unlike Saul, relinquished control, even though he had physical prominence. He waited on the LORD; he chose to depend on the LORD. 9/
It was, then, precisely his willingness to set aside pursuit of “manliness” that marked him out. 10/
Thus, to use him as an example of someone who fought in the face of fear ironically misses the whole point. 11/
