Building an Army

The following men joined David at Ziklag while he was hiding from Saul son of Kish. They were among the warriors who fought beside David in battle. (1 Chronicles 12:1 NLT)

Now as King, David is beginning to build his army.  Actually, he's been building it for a long time.  The group of people you find hanging out with David aren't exactly the type you would expect to become a "legitimate" army.  The people who hung out with David were often a little "rough around the edges" in life.  Remember, King Saul was trying to kill David for many years.  David was an outlaw, an outcast, and in every other way just plain "out."  There was nothing "in" about him.  So, outcasts, outlaws, and every other kind of "out there" person began hanging out with him and helping him.  Now that he's in charge, they are about to become his army.

Some brave and experienced warriors from the tribe of Gad also defected to David while he was at the stronghold in the wilderness. They were expert with both shield and spear, as fierce as lions and as swift as deer on the mountains. (1 Chronicles 12:8 NLT)

They defected from their previous place of loyalty to follow David.  It says something about the kind of leader he must have been.  It says something about the kind of man he must have been.  Even with the various backgrounds of these men, they were willing to follow David.  It made his new army quite strong.  David knew how to build an army.

These warriors from Gad were army commanders. The weakest among them could take on a hundred regular troops, and the strongest could take on a thousand! (1 Chronicles 12:14 NLT)

This whole story brings to mind someone else who built an army filled with outcasts and ruffians.  They weren't the most respected in society and they hung out with him while he was still considered an outcast.  They followed him when he wasn't strong and eventually became his army for conquering their leader's enemies and setting captives free.  It says something about the kind of leader he must have been.  It says something about the kind of man he must have been.  They came from all kinds of backgrounds, but they were willing to follow him.

I am willing to follow Him, too.  I've signed up to be in His army, even though I find myself as an "outcast" in many places in life.  I gladly, willingly give my service to my King and trust in His judgment letting me become a part of His team.  I don't know if He has entrusted me with five, two, or one talent (Matthew 25:14-30), but I do know I work hard to make the most of every opportunity He provides to win battles and set captives free.  I look forward to the day when He will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."  

Jesus really knows how to build an army.  

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