Being king of Israel was not something David had chosen for himself. God had chosen David to be king.

The Lord also gave David the leadership gifts that he needed to lead the people of Israel wisely. Asaph, an important worship leader during the reign of David (and one of David's key partners in ruling Israel), mentions two critical leadership skills David possessed.

And these are important leadership talents, ones that every leader needs to nurture and foster in himself or herself. Once you know what the two skills are, you realize that without both of these, it's difficult to be a leader at all.

Where are you called to be a leader? In your family? At your place of work? In the community? At church?

You can't go wrong asking God to give you integrity of heart and skillful hands. Wise leaders cultivate both. Because these two are a necessary leadership "both/and."

As a leader, you may feel you fall short on one or both of these. David certainly fell short at times. But when you fall or fail, remember that Jesus has what you lack.

Ask him for his forgiveness, and ask him to supply his integrity of heart, and his skillful hands. The cross and the empty tomb mean that all of Christ's righteousness is yours. They mean that Jesus will send his Spirit to strengthen and support you.

That includes granting you integrity of heart, and the strength and wisdom to develop skillful hands, too. With Jesus, you and I stand before the Lord confident that we are his children through faith in Jesus, and assured that we are becoming the leaders he has called us to be.

"He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance. And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them" (Psalm 78:70-72, NIV).

Lord, grant me integrity of heart and skillful hands so that as I lead, I bring glory to you name.

Our Bible reading for Wednesday, July 1, is 2 Kings 3:1 - 4:37, Acts 21:1-26 and Psalm 78:56-72.

Header image based on "Skillful hands" by Jun, CC By-SA 2.0