Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person. John 2:23-25.

I thought about the above verses as I read 1 Samuel 26. David’s whereabouts were again betrayed to Saul and with 3,000 select troops he again goes to find David. Once again Saul is where David can easily reach him and this time he is sleeping surrounded by his troops. David could have easily killed Saul as his warrior Abishai encouraged him to let him do. David never stops trusting God to decide Saul’s fate. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let’s go.” v. 10-11.

David and Abishai leave the camp of Saul and shout to the warriors of Saul that should have protected Saul. Saul promises David yet again he will not try to harm him.

David didn’t trust Saul or his words. He trusted God who knows all men. The Lord rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness. v. 23. How can He do that unless He knows our hearts? What motivated Saul if not his jealousy, greed and fear of David? He should have feared God.

I’ve struggled with the instructions in God’s word to us to fear God. It sounds like such a negative. How many people have been afraid of God because of that instruction? How many people do we fear; for good reason? Saul was afraid of David and because of that fear sought to kill him repeatedly. His fear led to his downfall. His fear led him into darkness. How many people today live in fear of darkness because of their deeds or the deeds of others? Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. John 3:20. Have we not seen that throughout all the millennia of mankind? We fear God because of what we have done. He already knows.

But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. John 3:21.

God gives us the light of His truth and what is His truth? For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17.

Saul was afraid repeatedly because He didn’t trust God to save him. David knew God and loved Him and trusted Him. I love David’s example for us today. Jesus knew David’s heart, too, and He could work in David who was not perfect but who loved His Lord and trusted himself completely to God. David knew what was in his own heart and that’s why he clung so fiercely to his love for God. With God is the light of His truth. God was his compass. Not men.