If you aren’t familiar with the story of David in the bible, chances are you’ve probably slept through every bible study class.
The story of David and Goliath is one of the most well known stories for many reasons. It reveals how being an underdog with a humble heart can lead you to being king. But before David was anointed as king, prophet Samuel had to go seek who the Lord would anoint.
Samuel had no clear direction other than that he was to go to Jesse of Bethlehem and anoint who the Lord indicated.
I could see how comparing this story to the trenches of modern day dating seems a bit odd. But stick with me as I break it down the way God gave it to me.
Read Also: How To Navigate Dating Apps As A Christian The Right Way.
Dating and the Story of David
For a clearer context on this story, reading 1 Samuel 16 in its entirety would help.
But as a quick summary, Samuel went to Jesse’s crib to anoint one of his sons as king. Samuel wasn’t sure which son he was to anoint, but he trusted that God would give him direction when he came across him. All of the sons were handsome in appearance and what one would consider a king to look like. The Lord told Samuel not to consider appearance because He looks at the heart of a person. Jesse had 7 of his sons pass by Samuel and the Lord chose none of them.
And this leads us to David.
David was the youngest of his brothers and the text tells us he was outside tending the sheep.
And now that we know the backstory, we can finally get to the meat of how this story can help us when dating.
God Is Choosy
I’m sure there’s a much better way to say this. Precise, particular, He has the ultimate standards and He won’t go any lower.
Jesse had 7 of his eldest sons pass by Samuel and still God said, NOPE.
This is the first thing that stuck out to me in the text. And that’s probably because I resonate with it so much. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told I’m too picky when it comes to dating. But, there has been confusion and discomfort in every one of my dating situations because they weren’t the fit God has for me.
He’s not the author of confusion. But we can use confusion as a guide for obedience to Christ instead of choosing to settle. We settle because we’re impatient beings and we settle when it looks like there are no other options.
Imagine if Samuel had chosen to settle. He could’ve played eeny, meeny, miny, moe with Jesse’s sons because it looked like there were no other options. Instead, he chose to keep leaning into God’s provision and direction.
God Hid David
Throughout the entirety of the Bible, God hides certain people. Not because they did something wrong and He’s punishing them. But because God has a pattern of hiding people when He’s preparing them for a greater purpose.
The same was true for David, and the same is true in dating. There have been plenty of stories where someone says their person was in plain sight the whole time. They could live in your neighborhood, have mutual friends or even be someone you’ve scrolled past on dating apps.
The point is God hides people until the timing is right.
Heart Check In Dating
There are two majors things that have always stuck out to me in this text. The first being how Jesse (David’s daddy) completely disregarded David for Samuel’s consideration. And the second being how God wasn’t just after physical appearances like so many of us. But in turn, David was still considered physically attractive.
Have An Open Mind
David wasn’t first considered by Jesse, probably because of his age and his job as a Shepard. God on the other hand was looking for someone with the character and correct heart posture. I love that God never counted David out. His earthly father may have, but his Heavenly Father did not.
So many times I feel like we count people out based on age, height, occupation and the list goes on. And it’s all because they may not look like what we had in mind to some extent.
I’ll admit, I’ve fallen victim to this more than I’d like to admit. As a God-fearing woman, I automatically thought I should date pastors or people who were heavily involved in church. That was until I started dating them. I soon realized a lot of them didn’t have the heart I was looking for. They were in church, but outside of church business hours, they either had no depth or were completely different people.
And of course that’s just been my experience. No shade to the up and coming pastors.
The person God has for you may be a doctor instead of a pastor, average height instead of pro-baller height. They may not be built like Meg Thee Stallion or a Barbie Doll. But their heart and character align with God’s plans for your life.
What I love most about David is that no one gives thought to how being a Shepard must’ve shaped his character. It made him humble, it made him patient, it led him to be nurturing. And honestly, it gave him more time to spend with God out in the fields.
But to land the plane, your person may not be exactly what you had in mind. Which is why it’s important to keep an open mind when dating.
You Won’t Have to Settle
I know this may sound contradictory considering everything I’ve just said. But it still stands true.
“He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.””
1 Samuel 16: 12
You can keep an open mind and know in your heart that God won’t make you settle for someone you’re not attracted to. The story of David says that David was a man after God’s heart, and for that God did choose him. But in 1 Samuel 12:6, it also says that David “had a fine appearance and handsome features.”
Your person is gonna be fine fine, with a heart that mirrors God. 😉
Your Takeaways:
And now it’s your turn bestie. Share any takeaways you may have gotten while reading the story of David. Share your experiences with dating in this day in age. I’d love to hear your perspective!
