Not By Might...

"Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, Thus says the LORD of hosts: I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel." 1 Chronicles 17:7

David was king of Israel, but he didn't start off as royalty.  Before the Lord sent Samuel to anoint him as king he was nothing more than a common shepherd boy.  Neither David nor anyone in his family had any claim to the throne.  David was the youngest of eight sons; he had no qualifications to be king.  David was king only by the grace of God.  David did nothing on his on to become king.  David's faith in God and God's call on his life brought him to receive all God had prepared for him.

In our passage God reminds David it was He who took him from the sheepfold and made him a king.  We learn a valuable lesson here!  The success we have in this life is only by the grace of God.  Sense it is given by God we have no place to be arrogant or boastful of our success and achievements, on the contrary we are to be humble and thankful knowing that all we have and are is from God.  It is not our might or strength that propels us forward, but it is the Spirit of God!  In all we achieve and gain, in this life, let us remember the old saying, "Talent is God-given; be thankful.  Praise is man-given; be humble.  Conceit is self-given; be careful!"

"So he answered and said to me: This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of hosts." Zechariah 4:6