“Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty.  Neither do I concern myself with great matters, nor with things to profound for me.”  (Psalm 131:1)

In this short and simple psalm of David, four principles of leadership are given, freedom from arrogance, promotion by delegation, learning from heroes in your life, and leaving an example for others to follow.

God Judges the Heart, Not Our Actions

This psalm is one of fifteen Psalms of Degrees (Psalm 120-134). This one gives us principles for success and promotion which David proved in his life. Whether a king, queen, business manager, pastor, or head of a household, these principles are timeless and will always work. They are called Psalms of Degrees, or Ascents because they present a life of improvements.  One step at a time leading to success in life.

David is an example of a man who did many things wrong, but was not judged by God for his actions, but judged for his heart. If God had to make a choice, he would rather our actions be wrong and our heart be right, than our heart to be wrong and our actions right. A sinner can have a good heart, be filled with good deeds, and yet, be far from God in his heart. If he dies without accepting Jesus, he will be sentenced to hell because of the rejection toward God in his heart and not by the good deeds of his life. God rebuked Israel many times in the Old Testament for their hardness of heart. The people said they loved the Lord with their lips and actions, but their hearts were far from Him (Isaiah 29:13).

David is a mystery to many believers today because of his many sins and yet his special place in the heart of God. Despite his episode with Bathsheba and a score of other sins, he was still called a man after God's own heart (I Samuel 13:14). David was quick to repent and seek the face of God. He had to endure the Lord's correction after many of his sins, but after repenting, always rose higher than before. David continued to become a better king than he had ever been. David maintained a heart after God. Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart (I Samuel 16:7).

Sin Begins in the Heart, Not the Actions

“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of spring the issues of life.  Put away from you a deceitful mouth and put perverse lips far from you.  Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you.  Ponder the path of your feet and let all your ways be established.  Do not turn to the right or the left; remove our foot from evil.” (Proverbs 4:23-27)

The mouth, eyes, hands, and feet are all controlled by the heart. Sins of the tongue and actions are easier to keep in check when the heart is kept pure before God.

Freedom From Arrogance

“Lord, my heart is not haughty (proud, arrogant), nor my lofty (looking for ways of self-promotion)” (Psalm 131:1)

This success principle of King David deals with arrogance. Arrogance is the source of the original sin in Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12-14, Ezekiel 28:16) and the source of all personal sin in the believer’s life. The Hebrew of Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride precedes destruction, and before a fall, arrogance of spirit prevails.”

Arrogance is exaggerated self-esteem. This root cause of sin puts the arrogant into competition with everyone around; causing them to condescend to those they consider beneath them and be jealous of those who seem better. The arrogant must always show everyone they are better and try to leave every conversation and situation being in control. They are too proud to admit their own weaknesses or recognize anyone else's strengths. The arrogant can tell the woman how to be a better housewife.  The businessman how to better manage his company.  The computer operator about the newest technology.  The football player how to pass, run, or tackle, and the auto mechanic how to better tune an engine. Sadly, the arrogant can teach others, but cannot be taught themselves. How can you teach anything to someone who knows everything?

The Arrogant and the Confident

The enemy of the arrogant is the relaxed, self-confident person. They do not understand a person who is willing to let everyone be themselves yet have their peculiarities. The arrogant are always trying to change and work every situation for their own benefit. Just like Lucifer toward God, they have a blatant disregard for authority because they consider themselves better than those in charge. They go over their boss’s head to the president. They lie about those in authority and work both sides for their own good.

People who are truly secure know that the God who gave can give again. They also know that people who steal will not be happy. Possessions do not bring lasting happiness. David did not gain his happiness from things. David was happy when he watched over his father's sheep. He was happy when he lived in a cave on the run from Saul and the armies of Israel. Because the king's happiness came from the Lord, David was a mystery to many in his kingdom who were striving for higher positions. Many of them probably thought David to be simple-minded, ignorant of the true ways of life. Yet David was very perceptive and well-practiced in the ways of life. As king, David witnessed many people trying to promote themselves into positions which were only God given. David had seen their kind before and would see them again.

Enemies of God

The reason the arrogant never stay ahead is because they are fighting the Lord. Not only do the arrogant consider themselves smarter than anyone around them, secretly they also consider themselves smarter than God. They appoint themselves the enemy of God. God loves true humility in a person but hates pride and conceit. The Hebrew of Proverbs 3:34 says, “God sets Himself in battle array against the arrogant but gives grace to the humble.” These were David's words given to Solomon.  Success principles handed down from one generation to the next.

True Humility

Some do not understand how David can recognize his own humility. If you admit you are humble, are you humble? Isn't admitting humility a sign of arrogance? We have made the issue contradictory. We have been taught that humility is a virtue to obtain, but the one possessing this virtue cannot recognize it. This comes from not truly understanding arrogance. David was not arrogant, but confident. Often, the proud mistake arrogance for confidence. Often too, the humble mistake confidence for arrogance.

A confident person recognizes his own virtues, but quickly gives the credit to those who helped and contributed to create those virtues. Confident people credit parents, teachers, national and Biblical heroes, friends, and the Lord for making them who they are.

They believe anyone can attain these virtues. Arrogant ones, on the other hand, believe they have always had these virtues, are gifted and self-made. They can therefore only see themselves as a teacher to others. Few, if any, can attain their level.

Freedom from arrogance made David a true leader. People enjoyed his presence and felt uplifted when they left. David could truly give to the poor and receive from the rich. David was relaxed around both the uneducated and the wise. All of David's praise went to the Lord Who had made him a success and Who would further promote him.

Are You Serious?

The problem with the arrogant is they take themselves too seriously. You can take your ministry and mission in life seriously, but not yourself. The task is important, but God can get anyone to do it. God got along fine before you came along, and He will get along fine when you are gone. The important thing to God is the message you carry not the messenger.

In the early days of our country, mail was delivered by pony express. One rider was met by another who had just finished his ride. The new rider would then carry the mail and meet another rider many miles away, who would then pick take the bag and carry it on. The riders were not important, the mail was. The messages were from the heart of the writer to the reader. We are carrying God's message into the world, and we are just a rider, a link, in God's pony express.  Again, the message is important, not you, the messenger.

God is in the business of taking nobodies and making somebodies out of them. Every hero of the word of God was a nobody who one day met God. Why are they any different than you? Elijah forgot that principle one day as he sat in a cave feeling sorry for himself in 1 Kings 19:10-18. He reminded God that everyone had torn down the altars and forsaken God except for him. God reminded him that there were seven thousand who had not bowed their knee. Next, God told him that his ministry was over and his new replacement Elisha, would be found plowing a field. Elijah would be replaced by a farmer.

There have been many ministers fall in the past few years in our own country who thought the same thing. Years after their fall, the kingdom of God continues. God has always and still does use humble people.