Although King David was far from a perfect man or king, we can learn from his rich emotional life. He openly expressed himself to God, acted on the teachings of the Word, kept his eyes on God not people, and he realized that people will respect a passionate, expressive person. Finally, he enjoyed being with God's people.

Just because God says, "No," does not mean you asked for the wrong thing, or God does not love or care for you. Sometimes, God has something better for you. Can you trust Him and wait patiently for what He has for you? If you can, you just might see Him come through in ways you never imagined!

The kindness King David showed to Jonathan's son Mephibosheth is a picture of God's grace. Just as King David searched for and called Mephibosheth and gave him abundant gifts and honor, so does God seek, call and give extravagantly to all who respond to Him.

David learns that if temptations are not dealt with immediately, the desires they stimulate give birth to sinful actions. When he hid his sin, he was miserable, but when he turned back to God, he received grace and mercy. There still were severe consequences but also new birth, a son, Solomon.

We can learn some important lessons from King David regarding leadership, not that he was a perfect leader at all times but that he knew how to turn back to God when he failed. We can study David because he knew how to mobilize others to lead. He pointed people to God. He modeled servant leadership.