Looking the Part

"Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor. He had a son whose name was Saul, a choice and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel; from his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people." -1 Samuel 9.1-2

Saul would become the first king of Israel, and outwardly he has all the makings of a king. He is the descendant of a hero, a mighty man of valor. He stands out, as the most handsome man in Israel. He stands head and shoulders above everyone else. To top it off he is from the tribe of Benjamin, so he is a bit of an underdog, and a man of the people. If physical appearance, stature and heritage were the makings of a king then Saul had it all. But there is more that makes a king than simply what he looks like and who his family is.

Saul's reign, as we'll see, is full of paranoia, failure, and drifting from God. The things that set him apart at the beginning do not translate into action when he enters power. A king must do more than simply look the part, he must rise to play it. A king is not determined by what he looks like, but what he does.

Men, do you look the part of a King? Are you well groomed with a solid last name? Do you stand out? What is your motivation to rule? How have you wielded power before? What makes you fit to rule? There is more to a king than what he looks like or who his father is. Looking the part may help you get to power, it may even help you hold on to some support for a while, but if kingship only goes skin deep, everything will shortly fall apart.

Let us be men who live the part, not just look it to seize power. Let our lives be dedicated to the service and betterment of others. Let us be and live the part.

"Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

To God alone be the Glory!

Strength and Honor