David illustrates the leadership quality of servanthood positively. His leadership was first and foremost about serving his team, not about his own fame or conquest. First Samuel 30 instructs us about relationships and partnerships. After conquering the Amalekites, David and his men took huge plunder. However, some of his older troops, too tired to fight, stayed behind to help with supplies. It would have been easy for the soldiers who actually did the fighting to say: "If you didn't show up for the battle, you don't get to share in the rewards!" Surely some of those soldiers must have had this assumption. David resolved the conflict by calmly helping them all see that since God was the source of their victory and since those who helped with the supplies did play a role, they should all share in the plunder. David later turned this decision into a policy for Israel. Clearly, David valued every partner in the equation. His leadership was about service to others rather than accumulating wealth and power for oneself. Modeling this leadership quality did plenty to improve David's leadership situation.

The Results of David's Servant Leadership:

1. It helped others see the contribution of every man's gift. Even the older soldiers who remained at the camp because they were too tired to fight added some value to the entire army. They guarded the supplies. David's perspective on valuing everyone's gift and contribution kept everyone's eyes on others and on the big picture, rather than becoming preoccupied with one's own contribution.
2. It reminded David's men that God was the trustworthy source of every good gift. David knew that allowing everyone to celebrate the victory and share in its spoils would help his men see that God was the trustworthy source of victory. When people start keeping score on who gets what, they tend to get consumed with themselves and whether they are getting their fair share of the reward. David's servant leadership helped others see through God's eyes and trust Him for their rewards in life.
3. It promoted goodwill in potential allies, resources that David enjoyed later as king. The people soon recognized that if you cooperate with David, he makes sure you win in some way. This promoted partnerships and a contagious spirit of service and goodwill among David's troops. When leaders are selfish, it fosters a selfish atmosphere among everyone they lead. When leaders generously serve, this kind of service orientation spreads through the camp.
4. It enabled David to prepare for the future by making him friends all over Israel. When a leader serves today, it generally pays off tomorrow in relationships with others. David may not have realized it at the time, but as word spread of his generous style, his servant-leadership prepared the hearts of citizens across Israel to follow him. It won them over. Sometimes, little acts of kindness, unpromoted by leaders, spread faster than staged acts on a platform. One appears authentic while the other just looks artificial.
5. It developed a nationwide value of mutual benefit and good faith among people. Once David became king, this same spirit of appreciation and servanthood became the norm in Israel for a season. When leaders don't sincerely grasp what they believe they deserve, it spawns trust among those who follow. A sense of justice-for-all prevails. Instead of contagious selfishness, there is infectious servanthood.