Because the Lord Lives, So WIll You, and So Will I
Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David, for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes this day. Behold, I have acted foolishly, and have made a great mistake.” And David answered and said, “Here is the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and take it. The Lord rewards every man for his righteousness and his faithfulness, for the Lord gave you into my hand today, and I would not put out my hand against the Lord ’s anointed. Behold, as your life was precious this day in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the Lord , and may he deliver me out of all tribulation.” Then Saul said to David, “Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will succeed in them.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.
1 Samuel 26:21–25 ESV
This exchange happens at night after Saul has been awakened by a man shouting in the night to his guards. The man is David, who has just snuck into Saul’s tent, took his spear and water bottle, and snuck out. David and his helper even argued in the tent about whether or not to kill Saul and David prevailed and they let him live.
What is striking is that David does a little reasoning with Saul, but doesn’t demand or expect much of a fair return of the favor. He appeals to God.
“As your life was precious this day in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the Lord.” It’s almost like David is saying, “Look Lord, I only spared this guy for you, so remember what I did here. ”
Relating to someone on the basis of your relationship with the Lord and not on their own merits may sound shallow or condescending (I’m only doing this for you because of the Lord.) But if you see that the person takes the Lord very seriously, you can appreciate that it is sincere and really means something.
Apply that to some relationships: A marriage based on love and reverence for the Lord instead of a husband’s income or a wife’s figure is a strong marriage. A job that is done because of a commitment to a calling is better than a job done to punch the clock and demand a paycheck. David would live this out and write in Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
David didn’t go back to Jerusalem with Saul that day. But Saul, who was the one that needed the greater conversion towards the Lord, went home understanding what a great man David was. He also understood that as David obeyed the Lord, it was a blessing from God to everyone else, even himself – a wicked king.