fbpx

Failure Redeemed: A True Story

Leadership Failures

We tend to put our trust in leaders, sometimes to the point of idolatry. What do we do when leaders fail us? This true story offers guidance and hope.

Once upon a time,

a man

a young man, a small shepherd,

was chosen by God to be king…

a son, a friend, a husband, a father,

persecuted by the then-king, nearly killed more than once,

he knew he was a rescued man, and

he loved God because God first loved him.

His love spilled over in poetry and music —

he even danced shamelessly before the Lord,

much to the chagrin of his wife.

The people loved him, sang his songs, and celebrated his victories,

shouting,

“Saul has killed his thousands,

but David his ten thousands…”

He was almost a hero.

but he wasn’t.

God was the true hero of this story, always is.

The man-king,

perhaps weary of feeling persecuted,

for sure forgetting whose he was,

stopped getting up early to lead his men into battle.

In fact, he took a vacation, a vacation from

serving and celebrating God as his rescuer.

While lounging on his roof,

surveying the kingdom he had begun to think

he had built,

he saw a woman. A bathing woman. Someone else’s wife.

And he forgot everything he thought he knew.

Losing his God-saned mind,

he took the woman

as his own, not remembering

she was

God’s daughter,

another man’s wife.

The other-man’s-wife conceived a child.

The sin-crazed man-king devised a plan.

He summoned the other-man home from battle,

sent him to be with his wife.

But

The other-man refused to take comfort in his wife

while his companions still fought.

So the sin-crazed man-king devised another plan.

One that made perfect sense to a mind that had forgotten

the holy God who rescues

wretched sinners.

He plotted the other-man’s death.

This time, his plan worked,

and

he married the other-man’s-wife.

But God sent

a friend to the man-king.

Not just a friend, a counselor, a prophet, a wise man

who listened to God.

The prophet-friend told

the man-king a simple, sad story

about

a rich man and a poor man.

The rich man, so selfish he would not spare

one of his sheep

to feed a guest,

took the poor man’s beloved

lamb,

killed it,

and served it for dinner.

The man-king was outraged

on behalf of the poor man.

How could a man be so cruel, arrogant,

unfeeling?

His prophet-friend

answered simply,

“You are that man.”

The God-graced words

made a direct hit

on the fallen-man’s heart.

The chosen king, the failed hero,

the man after God’s heart,

crushed under the weight

of sin’s dark reality exposed,

cried out the words

God gave him to say

for all of us,

“I have sinned against the Lord,”

His plea of mercy rose,

to the

holy, just, and compassionate God,

for rescue again.

And the Ever-living, Ever-loving

God

heard

our cry,

sending the One True King,

the Only God-Man-Hero

who died and lived

to save

the man-kings

who could never save

ourselves.

Read this true story of King David in 2 Samuel 11-12:23.

“This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.” 1 Tim. 1:15-16

Did you enjoy this blog? Please share with one of the buttons at the top.

Want more gospel-centered encouragement? Sign up to receive the Living Story blog in your inbox once  a week.

Start living, preparing, and sharing your legacy today.

Subscribe now to receive the free e-book 10 Steps to Organizing Your Life and Legacy!

Yay! You've subscribed. Stay tuned for great gospel-centered resources, and get ready to live your story!