Read:
David’s had a wild ride, hasn’t he? From overlooked shepherd to anointed king, to giant slayer, to son-in-law of the king, to fugitive on the run.
Saul literally made David’s life a living hell. It became his life’s mission to destroy David—and at long last, Saul finally died. You have to assume that David had been longing for this day. Justice had finally been served, and there were no more obstacles in his way.
That’s what makes David’s response to Saul’s death so remarkable. Instead of breathing a sigh of relief, David is consumed with grief.
Why on earth would David be so distraught over the death of his greatest enemy? The people of Israel asked for a king, and Saul had been God’s choice. David knew that Saul had been part of God’s story—and his loss was worth grieving.
There’s a lot to learn from David’s experience about waiting on God’s timing and trusting his plans. But we can also learn what it looks like to show honor to anyone—even the people you think of as enemies.