Saul was tall, towering head and shoulders over the rest of the men around him. Surely this handsome young man was the kind who could rally the rest of the troops against the enemy camped on the opposite side of the valley. Yet to do that, King Saul of Israel would have to go up against the Philistine enemy giant, Goliath—who was more than nine feet tall and who wore armor that weighed a whopping 125 pounds.

How ironic that the hero and real leader of the story told in 1 Samuel 17 was an unimposing young shepherd by the name of David. He ran toward and conquered the seemingly invincible giant with only his sling and stones taken from a streambed! After this, David was not allowed to go home and was given assignments and rapid promotion in the army, a move supported by the army leaders.

When David is mentioned, many immediately think of this story of his defeating Goliath. How is it that this young shepherd, with no military training, was able to rally the Israelite army and lead them to victory?

What leadership traits did this unusual young man use to not only defeat Goliath and lead the army to victory that day, but to rapidly advance in responsibility in the Israelite army? How was it that he was later able to earn and hold the trust of those who came to him while he was running for his life from King Saul—and then again when he became king of Israel? Let's look at a few of this amazing man's leadership traits.

Humility

The first, and no doubt the most important, trait displayed by David was one on which Jesus Christ would focus many centuries later—humility. One of the trademark teachings of Jesus about leadership is found in several places in the Gospel accounts. Mark records it near the end of chapter 10 of his Gospel. Jesus said the gentiles consider those people great who "lord it over" others. But He said His disciples were to take a different approach.

Anyone who wants to be great must have the attitude of a servant—just like Jesus came with the attitude of serving humanity instead of demanding to be served by humanity. We might be tempted to call that an attitude of service, but the real lesson is humility. When the prophet Micah summed up the main points God looks for in His people, he mentioned living justly (following God's instructions), loving mercy and being humble (Micah 6:8).

Let's go back to David's encounter with Goliath to see how he expressed that attribute. When questioned by King Saul about how David could possibly fight Goliath, David answered that God had given him power to save sheep from both a lion and a bear, and that God would do the same with respect to Goliath since Goliath was defying God (1 Samuel 17:34-37).

When taunted by Goliath as he went out to battle, David did not boast of his agility or skill with a sling, but told Goliath he came in the name of God and that God would give him the victory. God would receive the glory (verses 43-47). Though his actions were courageous, David was giving God the credit for the victory—even before it happened.

While David surely struggled to maintain this trait at times, as any person does, it was still with him in his old age. As David was fleeing for his life from his son Absalom, a relative of the late King Saul named Shimei ridiculed David and his entourage (see 2 Samuel 16). One of King David's mighty men wanted to kill Shimei, but David told him to let the man alone. After all, if his own son could seek to kill him, why couldn't this man voice his frustration at David too? It was an expression of humility that shone as a good example even in his latter years as king of Israel.

Respect for all

Another leadership trait that David displayed was a respect for everyone. Early in his life, when King Saul began trying to kill David out of jealousy, David allowed those in debt and those in distress to join him. He didn't turn people away because they lacked wealth or status (1 Samuel 22:1-2).

Later, after he was established as king, David made a comment about longing for a drink from a well in his hometown, which was behind enemy lines at the time. Three of his mighty men broke through the Philistine camp and brought back some of that water and gave it to David. But David refused to drink it, pouring it out on the ground to God instead, showing he valued the lives of those men more than that drink he longed for. He showed that he respected them and did not take their lives lightly. They were too valuable to allow others to think they should risk their lives for David's whims (2 Samuel 23:16-19).

Years later another incident showed David's respect for his people. When a neighboring king died, David sent an entourage to express his condolences to that king's son. The son listened to some bad advice and greatly embarrassed David's servants by cutting off their beards and much of their clothing (2 Samuel 10:1-5). When David heard what had taken place, he sent word for them to stay out of sight until their hair grew back. Showing his respect for his servants, David did not want them being ashamed or ridiculed by others.

Fairness and integrity

Along with showing respect for all people, David also showed a deep sense of fairness and integrity. When David gave his word, he stood by it. When God gave him the victory over Goliath, David became good friends with Jonathan, Saul's son. When Saul began plotting to kill David, and Jonathan realized David would become the next king, Jonathan asked David to give him his word that he would always show kindness to his family. David agreed and gave his word (1 Samuel 20:12-17).

After Saul's death, when God had firmly established David as king over all Israel, David searched to find any descendants of Saul to whom he could show kindness as he had promised. Jonathan's son was located and David restored to him all the land of his grandfather, King Saul. He also took him into the palace to eat at the king's table like one of David's own sons. David was true to his word, showing integrity, mercy and generosity (2 Samuel 9).

Later in his reign as king, when Satan moved him to sin by numbering Israel against God's command, God sent word that punishment would come. He gave David a choice of what punishment he wanted—three years' famine, three months' worth of defeat at the hand of his enemies or three days' punishment directly from the hand of God.

David chose to throw himself on God's mercy. God sent a plague and many Israelites died. He opened David's eyes to perceive the angel poised with a drawn sword over Jerusalem. David pleaded with God to spare the people and punish him personally, since it was his sin. He had no sense of "entitlement" or of being "above the law" just because he was king.

For God to stop the plague, He told David to erect an altar on that spot, at the threshing floor of a man named Ornan (or Araunah). When David asked to buy the spot for the altar, Ornan offered to give it to the king, along with the wooden implements to provide wood for a fire and oxen for a sacrifice.

David refused to take advantage of Ornan's generosity and the right a king would have to confiscate property in matters of national interest or safety. David insisted on paying full price for everything, showing his integrity as well as a sense of fairness for his subject (1 Chronicles 21).

These are but a few of the godly principles displayed in the stories of David's life. They are the kind of traits that made this young shepherd the great leader he became in Israel.

Anyone who has read the life of David knows that he also committed some terrible sins. David was far from perfect. In fact, it appears that he was especially lacking when it came to family matters. The dismal record of rape, murder and treason among his own children was prophesied by God's servant Nathan as a result of David's horrendous sin with Bathsheba. So God recorded both the good and the bad about David.

Yet when all is said and done, God said about King David, "I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will" (Acts 13:22).

The biggest factor to God was that David's heart was right. David deeply loved God and His law, meditated on it and prized it as a great source of wisdom.

David is historical proof that leadership does not depend on heritage, size, strength or any other physical characteristic. It depends on the heart—matters of principle, character and ethics.