A Shepherd’s Legacy: Trusting the Long Road

Taking a slight detour from our AOP conversation.

What if your story began generations before you were born?

David’s story didn’t start in the pasture or the palace. It began in the quiet loyalty of Ruth, a Moabite widow who chose faith over fear. She followed Naomi, her mother-in-law, into a foreign land, trusting a God she barely knew. That trust led her to Boaz, a man of integrity and compassion. Their union gave rise to Obed, then Jesse, and finally David—the shepherd boy who would become king.

God’s plan was already in motion long before David ever picked up a sling.

1. The Superiority of God’s Plan

David wasn’t the obvious choice. He was the youngest, overlooked even by his own father. But God saw what others didn’t. He saw a heart that beat in rhythm with His own. The same God who orchestrated Ruth’s redemption was weaving David’s destiny…quietly, patiently, perfectly.

Let’s be honest, Servant Leader. We’re impatient. We often want clarity now. But God’s plan is rarely rushed. It’s better than ours because it’s not bound by what we see. It’s anchored in what He—the omniscient God—knows.

2. God’s Patience

David was anointed king as a teenager but waited years—through betrayal, exile, and hardship—before wearing the crown. God wasn’t slow. He was shaping a servant, not just appointing a ruler.

Patience isn’t passive. It’s preparation.

In your own story, you may be enduring character-building trials that are foundational to your success as a servant leader. As Andrew Rapp sings in his song “Roses”:

3. Our Story as Servant Leaders

David’s greatness wasn’t in his victories. It was in his heart. He led with humility, repented when he failed, and worshipped with abandon. He was a servant first, a king second.

We’re invited into that same story. If we trust God’s timing, surrender our plans, and lead with a servant’s heart, our legacy—like David’s—can echo far beyond our lifetime.

What part of your story feels slow or uncertain right now? Could it be that God is writing something deeper than you imagined?

Take a moment, Servant Leader, and look back on those foundational moments in your life and remember, King David's story didn't start as the Chief Executive Officer of Israel, it started with the death of a husband and the faith of a widow three generations before his birth.