1 Kings 4:1-5
So king Solomon was king over all Israel.
And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest,
Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:
And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers: and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king's friend:
Here is a list of Solomon's cabinet. These are the closest helpers to the king and politically the most powerful men in the kingdom. These men have a long history of leadership in Israel. Many of them have suffered alongside Solomon's father, David. Most of them have served both David and now Solomon. Some of them have leadership bread into them as they are not only men who had served King David, but whose fathers were his servants as well.
But there is one man in this group that stands out to me. The Bible says of Zabud that he was "principal officer" and that he was "the king's friend." Of all of these who served alongside him. Of all of these whose history and service had been exemplary, the Bible says of only one that he was "the king's friend." This makes him a key man not only in his leadership role but also in his role of encourager to the king. Everyone needs a friend.
Come to think of it, if we never hold roles of high authority, but we can be a true friend to another person we have likely done more than all the people of position combined. Especially if we are a friend to one whose position requires him to lead, to be that man's friend is a place of huge importance.
So king Solomon was king over all Israel.
And these were the princes which he had; Azariah the son of Zadok the priest,
Elihoreph and Ahiah, the sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, the recorder.
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the host: and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:
And Azariah the son of Nathan was over the officers: and Zabud the son of Nathan was principal officer, and the king's friend:
Here is a list of Solomon's cabinet. These are the closest helpers to the king and politically the most powerful men in the kingdom. These men have a long history of leadership in Israel. Many of them have suffered alongside Solomon's father, David. Most of them have served both David and now Solomon. Some of them have leadership bread into them as they are not only men who had served King David, but whose fathers were his servants as well.
But there is one man in this group that stands out to me. The Bible says of Zabud that he was "principal officer" and that he was "the king's friend." Of all of these who served alongside him. Of all of these whose history and service had been exemplary, the Bible says of only one that he was "the king's friend." This makes him a key man not only in his leadership role but also in his role of encourager to the king. Everyone needs a friend.
Come to think of it, if we never hold roles of high authority, but we can be a true friend to another person we have likely done more than all the people of position combined. Especially if we are a friend to one whose position requires him to lead, to be that man's friend is a place of huge importance.
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