When it comes to biblical “show-downs,” perhaps none is better-known than that between David and Goliath. The match between the humble shepherd boy and the Philistine giant is the classic “little-guy-beats-the-big-guy” kind of story. But I’m wondering if that’s really the best victory we can pull from the life of David. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a powerful example of God at work in an amazing way. But there’s another struggle David faced that, I think, may be more significant, even though it’s lesser-known.

I’ve been reading through I and II Samuel, where we find much of the historical record of David, his battles, and his reign as King. What has struck me more powerfully than before is the dynamic between him and Israel’s first king, Saul. Saul began his reign as a good king, but over time he fell into petty jealousy (and worse) against David. Saul’s success was, to a large part, due to David–but Saul didn’t appreciate that. So over a period of time, Saul pursued David, even looking for an opportunity to kill him.

More than once, David had a chance to get out from under the threat and kill Saul–but he didn’t. Instead, he spared the king’s life, and instructed others to do the same. Then, when Saul did die, David led the mourning and lament. And long after Saul was gone, David still looked after Saul’s grandson, Mephibosheth, out of respect for Saul. What strikes me is that, in every way, despite the very real danger Saul posed to David, David refused to do Saul harm. Some of the men around David urged him to kill Saul when he had the chance, but David refused. David seemed to be steadfastly committed to maintaining his own integrity–even to the point of putting himself in danger at times.

That kind of character often seems lacking. Even without people actually trying to hunt us down, there are times when it can be easy to slip–times when it can seem expedient to cut corners in dealing with others. As I have reflected on David’s dealings with Saul, it has challenged me to pay closer attention than ever to watch how I deal with others–especially those who may not have the same concern for how they deal with me. It may not change how they think or act, but at least I will (hopefully) not have anything to be ashamed of myself. And that’s worth a lot.