When the prophet Samuel was dispatched by God to select a new king of Israel from among the sons of Jesse, he famously based his decision not "on the outward appearance" (I Sam. 16:7), but on what God enabled him to discern in the heart of the young shepherd he anointed. Years later the full measure of David's heart would be revealed in the magnanimity that marked his relationship with Saul, whom he eventually succeeded as king.
Inflamed with jealousy against David, Saul sought to kill him. But, eschewing revenge, David twice spared Saul's life. Faced with the evidence of David's remarkable capacity for forgiveness, mercy, and compassion, Saul was humbled: "Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil. ... And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand" (I Sam. 24:17, 20).
The story of David's forbearance has been an inspiration to readers of the Old Testament for generations. But its larger significance has often been overlooked. David may be remembered for many things. But it is his example of mercy and forgiveness that was the essence of the man, "the key of David," that which, as Saul himself acknowledged, defined David's spiritual fitness to rule over Israel. And it is this example that speaks to an essential precondition to spiritual growth and to the attainment of clear views of spiritual reality.
