1 Samuel 16:17-23: a reflection

17Saul said to his servants, “Provide me now a man who can play well, and bring him to me.” 18Then one of the young men answered and said, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a handsome person; and the LORD is with him.” 19Therefore Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, “Send me David your son, who is with the sheep.” 20Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a container of wine, and a young goat, and sent them by David his son to Saul. 21David came to Saul and stood before him. He loved him greatly; and he became his armor bearer. 22Saul sent to Jesse, saying, “Please let David stand before me, for he has found favor in my sight.” 23When the spirit from God was on Saul, David took the harp and played with his hand; so Saul was refreshed and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

When Saul is tormented and needs relief, David is brought to play the harp, and his music soothes the troubled king; God used David's gift to serve and bring relief to another. When the spirit from God was on Saul, David took the harp and played with his hand, the account says; so Saul was refreshed and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him. Saul was tormented and in distress. And the relief came, under God, through a simple gift: David's skill at the harp. David played, and his music soothed the troubled king, bringing him relief. A gift many might think ordinary, the ability to play an instrument, was used by God to serve and comfort another in his distress. And David, the account notes, was one with whom the LORD was. This shows God using our gifts, even ordinary ones, to serve and bring relief to others. God uses our gifts, even ordinary ones, to serve and comfort others. Your gift, used in God's service, can bring relief to another. Do not despise an ordinary gift; God can use it to bless. Use what you have been given to serve and comfort those in distress.

Notice how a simple gift was used to bring relief. Saul was tormented, in real distress; he needed relief, and his servants sought someone who could bring it. And the one they found was David, whose particular skill was playing the harp. When David played, his music soothed the troubled king, and Saul was refreshed and made well; the torment departed. It was not a dramatic or extraordinary gift that brought relief, but a simple, even ordinary one: the ability to play music well. Yet God used this gift to serve and comfort a man in distress. And it is worth noting that David was described as one with whom the LORD was; his gift was used in a life God was with. This holds an encouragement about our own gifts, however ordinary. We each have gifts, abilities, skills, some of which may seem small or ordinary, not dramatic or impressive. We can be tempted to despise them, to think they are of little use, that only great or spiritual gifts really serve God or others. But God can use our ordinary gifts, our practical skills, our small abilities, to serve and bring real relief and comfort to others in their distress, as he used David's music to soothe Saul. No gift is too ordinary for God to use in service; a simple skill, offered to serve others, can bring genuine blessing. We do well to use whatever gifts we have, even ordinary ones, to serve and bring relief to others, trusting that God can use them. Use your gifts, even ordinary ones, to serve and bring relief to others. Do not despise a simple gift; God can use it to comfort and bless. Your practical skills, offered in service, can bring real relief to others. God uses ordinary gifts, in a life he is with, to serve and comfort.

That is worth taking to heart, for God uses our gifts, even ordinary ones, to serve and bring relief to others, as he used David's music to soothe Saul. We can despise our ordinary gifts as of little use; but God used David's simple skill at the harp to bring relief to a tormented man. Use your gift. Do not despise your ordinary gifts; use them to serve and comfort others in distress, trusting that God can use even a simple skill to bring real relief. Use whatever gifts you have, even ordinary ones like a simple skill, to serve and bring relief to others in distress, not despising them but trusting that God can use them to bless, as when Saul was tormented and needed relief David was brought to play the harp and his music soothed the troubled king, God using David's gift to serve and bring relief to another, since David played and Saul was refreshed and well and the evil spirit departed; for Saul was tormented and in distress, and the relief came under God through a simple gift, David's skill at the harp, a gift many might think ordinary yet used by God to serve and comfort another in his distress, David being one with whom the LORD was, which holds an encouragement about our own gifts however ordinary, since we each have gifts, abilities, and skills, some of which may seem small or ordinary and not impressive, and we can be tempted to despise them and think only great or spiritual gifts really serve God or others, but God can use our ordinary gifts and practical skills and small abilities to serve and bring real relief and comfort to others as he used David's music to soothe Saul, no gift being too ordinary for God to use in service and a simple skill offered to serve others bringing genuine blessing, so that we do well to use whatever gifts we have, even ordinary ones, to serve and bring relief to others, trusting that God can use them.

Lord, when Saul is tormented and needs relief, David is brought to play the harp, and his music soothes the troubled king; you used David's gift to serve and bring relief to another. When the spirit from God was on Saul, David took the harp and played with his hand, the account says; so Saul was refreshed and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him. Saul was tormented and in distress. And the relief came, under you, through a simple gift: David's skill at the harp. David played, and his music soothed the troubled king, bringing him relief. A gift many might think ordinary, the ability to play an instrument, was used by you to serve and comfort another in his distress. And David, the account notes, was one with whom the LORD was. Show me how a simple gift was used to bring relief. Saul was tormented, in real distress; he needed relief. And the one found was David, whose particular skill was playing the harp. When David played, his music soothed the troubled king, and Saul was refreshed and made well; the torment departed. It was not a dramatic or extraordinary gift that brought relief, but a simple, even ordinary one. Yet you used this gift to serve and comfort a man in distress. And David was one with whom you were; his gift was used in a life you were with. This holds an encouragement about my own gifts, however ordinary. I have gifts, abilities, skills, some of which may seem small or ordinary, not dramatic or impressive. I can be tempted to despise them, to think only great or spiritual gifts really serve you or others. But you can use my ordinary gifts, my practical skills, my small abilities, to serve and bring real relief and comfort to others in their distress, as you used David's music to soothe Saul. No gift is too ordinary for you to use. Take that to my heart. Keep me from despising my ordinary gifts as of little use; help me use whatever gifts I have, Lord, even a simple skill, to serve and bring relief to others in distress, trusting that you can use even an ordinary gift, in a life you are with, to comfort and bless.