Unsung

The Boy Who Became King.
(1st Samuel 16:1-13)
 
‎Jesse was worried: very worried. 
Sweat beads flowed from his forehead 
down his face. 
The seal was unmistakable: 
the General Overseer.
He wondered why the GO would write 
him a letter. 
What have I done? 
His mind raced back the last few weeks. 
He couldn't readily remember any 
‎wrongdoing on his part.
He opened the envelope with trembling 
hands...
His eyes stared at the invitation card. 
He was relieved, but a bit apprehensive. 
Strange how one could feel both emotions 
at the same time, ‎he thought.
The GO is inviting him to a love feast. 
Well, it's not as bad as he thought.
Then his eyes caught a small detail at 
the bottom of the invitation card: 
"Please come with all your sons"‎.
Aha! He knew it. 
Those boys- what have they done again? 
These boys won't kill me!
Jesse hurriedly called a family meeting 
and told his sons they would accompany 
him to ‎a love feast in Bethlehem in a 
few days.
On the day of the feast, they all 
dressed appropriately for the event. 
Jesse made sure all of them were 
ceremonially clean. 
He wondered why the GO insisted on 
him bringing his sons. 
He wondered what they did. 
He had questioned them all one on one, 
they all denied any wrongdoing.
Children of nowadays. 
They never tell the truth. 
He looked at Eliab. 
Broad-shouldered, tall and built 
like a tank. 
Did he kill anyone? 
He's a soldier with a terrible temper. 
How many times have I warned him 
about his violent temper, Jesse thought.
He turned and looked at Abinadab as 
he entered the vehicle. 
Abinadab had a way with the ladies. 
He was a proper ladies' man. 
Could he have broken the heart of 
some damsel?
Well, that is not a crime worth the G.O's 
personal intervention. 
Even if he had raped someone... 
Rape???? 
Jesse frowned as Abinadab clicked on 
his seat belt. 
Could Abinadab commit rape? ‎
You can never tell, with these kids.
Shammah? 
Great kid, obedient to a fault. 
Jesse couldn't remember the last 
time he scolded him.
Well, when we get to the feast, the G.O 
will tell us what the problem is. 
If there's a problem at all...
The feast went well, Jesse made sure 
his sons were well behaved all through. 
None of them should be seen as a 
glutton or a drunkard with the G.O 
present. 
There were always sycophants at such 
gatherings who are quick to point 
to the G.O who was misbehaving.
When the merriment ended without 
much ado, the GO asked to see Jesse 
privately.
Aha: the Moment of Truth.
Jesse prayed silently under his breath. 
The GO exchanged pleasantries with him. 
Then he asked for his sons to come 
before him one after the other. 
Eliab the first born came out. 
The GO looked at him with a glint in his eyes. 
He smiled. Jesse heaved a sigh of relief: 
at least, now I know he didn't kill anybody, 
else the GO wouldn't have smiled!
The GO reached out for a bottle of anointing 
oil and opened it. Then he froze.
He covered it back and asked Eliab to leave.
"Next!"
Jesse was confused. What is going on? 
He wanted to ask the G.O, but he wasn't 
bold enough.
 Abinadab sauntered in.
The G.O shook his head. 
"Next!" Enter Shammah. No dice. 
Jesse was more confused. 
These GOs have a way of keeping 
people in suspense!
All the sons came and left, and apparently, 
something about them did not impress 
the GO. "What is he looking for?"‎, 
Jesse thought.
The GO suddenly turned and stared 
at Jesse. "Oops! He must have read 
my thoughts!"
"Are these all your sons?" the GO asked.
"Well, yeah- these are my legitimate sons. 
However, there's one more, the last born. 
He's taking care of the family business. 
He's just a kid, he's not even old enough 
to be coming for a love feast like this sir. 
What does he know?"
The GO smiled, with the glint in his 
eyes ‎again. "Send for him. 
We won't even sit down until he comes!" 
Ok. So, that little rascal is THE problem! 
I knew it! Stubborn little boy!
As they waited, Jesse's curiosity got the 
better of him. "Sir, forgive me for asking, 
but what is the problem with my sons? 
It seems you see the last born as the 
one you're looking for...
In that moment, David walked in. 
A rudy and handsome red headed teenager. 
The GO shouted. His shout attracted 
David's elder brothers into the room. 
The G.O reached for the bottle of oil 
and asked David to kneel down.
 He emptied the oil on his head as his 
father and brothers watched....
"I anoint you as the king over Israel!"
Jesse and his other sons were 
stunned:
KING??
DAVID????
Jesse called the GO aside. 
"Sir, you don't understand. 
That boy is not..." 
The GO raised his hand to silence him. 
"Actually I do, Jesse. 
I know David is not your favourite son. 
I didn't even know he existed! 
When I saw Eliab, I was certain he 
was the chosen one. But the Lord told 
me He doesn't look at men from the 
exterior. 
He looks at the interior..."
The circumstances surrounding your 
birth doesn't matter to God. 
Were you conceived out of wedlock? 
So was Jesus. Were you born out of 
wedlock? So was Jephtah. 
‎Are you called "illegitimate"? 
Has that tag dogged your life thus far? 
I have news for you- there are no such 
things as illegitimate children; 
only illegitimate parents!
God specialises in making something 
out of nothing. 
God specialises in using the shameful 
and mundane stuff ‎to confound the wise.
Cheer up! God has YOUR number! ‎
David was the last person expected to 
be king. There was nothing "Kingly" 
about him physically. But God who sees 
beyond the physical picked him out.
Your life matters. He will find you. 
It's only a matter of time...