Mighty Men of Valor

As I finish up reading 2 Samuel, I have come to a list of guys. I really like the old KJV at times because of the colors of the antiquated language. It refers to this list of guys as "Mighty Men of Valor".

That is so cool.

I have been stringing along a series of posts on the Leadership Model of David and one fact that I have been re-awakened to is that David was very human and very fallible. I think that is what folks like about him so much. He tugged at God's heartstrings but he messed up like most of us - sometimes he messed up really big!

The leadership maxim that we can learn from David and his Mighty Men of Valor, is that a strong leader surrounds himself (or herself) with a strong team. It's a good idea to select people to serve under your leadership that may be smarter, stronger, or better than you.

If David was anything, he was a man of war, I mean after all he was the original giant killer, right? Now listen to some of the tales that surrounded the men that served under him.

One of his top three warriors once killed 800 enemy soldiers in a single battle. We're talking hand-to-hand combat - no improvised explosives - just knives and spears and stuff... 800 men.

Another fellow stood alone and defended a patch of beans against an army of Philistines that had already sent all his com padres packing... they must have been Luck's Giant Lima Beans...

And these fellows were fiercely loyal - and mean.

When David was fleeing the palace because his son was trying to take over, some yahoo by the name of Shimei came out to watch. Now Shimei's only claim to fame was that he was a distant kin to the former king Saul and so he walked his raggedy ole' self out to see David and gloat. He cursed David and threw rocks at him.

Walking alongside David was one of these "Mighty Men of Valor" and in a matter-of-fact manner - much like the manner in which one would discuss the weather - he said to David, "Say the word and I will remove his head".

Fiercely loyal.

David was not intimidated by the power of these men, he knew they were loyal and would follow him. In turn, David could be found serving alongside these men in the battle. He didn't usually send them, he lead them.

In one last telling example, Eleazar was the number two Mighty Men of Valor - he was among an elite force known as the top three. In one certain battle with the Philistines, things went bad and it was time to retreat and fight again another day. But Eleazar stayed ... he kept fighting. When he looked to his side who would he find but David fighting alongside him.

It was a glorious day! David and Eleazar fought side by side until every last enemy soldier was dead or had fled.

Eleazar fought so hard that he couldn't open his hand to remove his sword.

The rest of David's army did not return to the battlefield until it was time to go and pick up the spoils.

A good leader needs great men and women to surround him; and a good leadership inspires such followers.