See my servant….He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the dimly burning flame. He will encourage the fainthearted, those tempted to despair.
(Isaiah 42:1-2 TLB)
In 1 Samuel 31:4-6 and 1 Chronicles 10:4–5, we find Saul and his army were fighting against the Philistines and losing ground. Saul's army, realizing that defeat was imminent, turned to flee. His men—including his sons—were killed, and Saul was wounded by arrows. He turned to his armorbearer and ordered him: "Draw thy sword, and thrust me though therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me" (1 Sam. 31:4).
Saul wanted to die at the hands of his armorbearer rather than be captured and tortured by the enemy. However, his armorbearer would not oblige him, so Saul took his own life by falling on his sword. "And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him" (v. 5).
When Saul commanded his faithful servant to thrust him through with his sword, "his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid" (v. 4). It seems peculiar that an armorbearer would be "sore afraid." He had been selected, trained, and prepared to serve in battle.
Because he was an armorbearer to the king, he was probably more skilled in warfare than any other soldier in the king's army. His duty was to protect the commander-in-chief. It doesn't seem logical that a man who was trained and prepared to give his life to save and defend the king would be afraid.
In the Hebrew, this word translated "afraid" in the King James Version is yare' (yaw-ray'). It does not mean to be afraid in the sense of being frightened or terrorized, but to fear out of reverence! In this case, it means "to sorely respect and honor"!
Now the armorbearer's reaction is much more understandable.
This man had spent all his time in Saul's service, caring for and protecting him. His entire reason for being was the preservation of the life of the king. If there was even the slightest chance that Saul could be saved from destruction, then he had to take that chance, regardless of the odds against its success.
Perhaps it was just too much to ask of the man who had protected Saul all this time to take the very life he had pledged to defend. He just could not bring himself to destroy the one he had spent his life preserving and protecting.
When your leader feels like throwing in the towel, do you "sorely respect and honor" him to the point that you would do everything in your power to stop him? You can see how important it is for you stay built up on the Word of God in order to keep hope alive and your faith unshakeable. Your confident expectation for good may be the very thing your leader needs to get him through a tough spot when all hope seems lost.
• Make sure you have the leader's God-given vision in writing and that it is posted in a highly visible place for all—especially your leader—to see. (Hab. 2:2.) Keep it in the forefront of your thoughts.
• Absolutely refuse to speak any words of doubt or unbelief regarding the situation. "Be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord" (1 Cor. 15:58).
• Voice your confidence in your leader and the surety that God always causes him to triumph in Christ. (2 Cor. 2:14.)
Heavenly Father, it would be so easy for me to become discouraged and give up like my leader wants to do, but I cannot afford that luxury. My leader is depending on me to remain "steadfast, unmoveable." I refuse to give any place to the devil by uttering any words of doubt or unbelief. Against hope I believe in hope and will remain faithful to my leader till we see the victory, for it shall surely come, in Jesus' name. Amen.
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