We've all done it. We've scrolled through a candidate's social media, looked at their stage presence, checked out their resume with all the right bullet points, and thought, "This is the one." They look the part. They sound the part. They have the charisma, the confidence, the polish.

But looking the part and being the part are two very different things.

Israel learned this the hard way when they chose their first king.

The Man Who Looked Like a King

1 Samuel 9:2
> "And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people."

Saul was impressive. Head and shoulders above everyone else, literally. Handsome. Strong. The kind of guy who walks into a room and everyone notices. He was the pick of the kingdom. If you were casting a movie about royalty, Saul would get the role.

The problem? Israel chose him based on what they could see, not who he actually was.

There's no record of anyone examining his past, his character, his heart, or his integrity. No one asked about his walk with God. No one looked at how he treated people when no one was watching. They just saw the packaging and said, "Yes, that's our king."

God gave them exactly what they wanted: a king like the rest of the world.

And it was a disaster.

What Looked Good on the Outside Crumbled on the Inside

Saul's story is a cautionary tale for anyone involved in ministry leadership training or christian leadership development. His outward status and position could not compensate for his spiritual disobedience and separation from God.

Despite being chosen and anointed as Israel's king, Saul's reliance on external means rather than genuine faith in God led to his downfall. God stopped communicating with Saul because Saul had walked away from God and stopped listening. Rather than repenting or returning to God, Saul became trapped by fear and desperation.

When facing the Philistines, Saul's fear drove him to make irrational decisions that violated God's explicit commands. He even consulted a medium: the Witch of Endor: directly violating God's law. This revealed the core issue: Saul's polish as a king and his initial anointing meant nothing without ongoing obedience and faith.

The polish wore off. The character never showed up.

The King Israel Needed Was Coming

God wasn't done with Israel. He had a different kind of king in mind.

1 Samuel 16:7
> "But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart."

David wasn't the obvious choice either. He was the youngest. He was out in the fields with the sheep while his older, more impressive brothers stood in line. But God saw what Samuel couldn't see at first: David's heart.

David wasn't perfect. Far from it. But he had something Saul never developed: a heart that turned toward God instead of away from Him. When David sinned, he repented. When David failed, he sought the Lord. When David was broken, he didn't reach for a medium or a shortcut: he reached for his God.

Leadership in the church isn't about who looks the best on a Sunday morning. It's about who runs back to Jesus on a Tuesday night when no one is watching.

How We Fall Into the Saul Trap Today

We do the same thing Israel did. We're impressed by the resume, the platform, the polish. We see the big ministry, the charisma, the stage presence, and we assume the character matches the appearance.

But here's the uncomfortable truth: a polished public persona is no substitute for a pious heart.

I've watched ministries hire "the impressive one" instead of "the faithful one." I've seen churches choose leaders based on their ability to draw a crowd rather than their ability to shepherd a soul. And I've seen the wreckage that follows when the polish wears off and there's nothing underneath.

The Warning Signs We Ignore

When we're choosing leaders for our ministries, we often skip the hard questions:

• How do they treat people who can't do anything for them?
• What does their family say about them?
• Do they seek God in private, or only perform for the public?
• How do they respond to correction?
• What happens when they fail?

We get dazzled by the "head and shoulders above" appearance and forget to look at the heart.

What Real Leadership Looks Like

If you've been hurt by a "Saul leader": someone who looked the part but lacked the heart: I want you to know something: God is not disappointed in you. He is not measuring your worth by your consistency. He's looking for something deeper.

True leadership in the church is about integrity when no one is watching. It's about a heart that runs toward God, not away from Him. It's about humility that admits failure and seeks restoration.

David wasn't a perfect king, but he was a repentant king. That's the difference.

When you're looking for leaders: whether for your ministry, your church, or your organization: here's what to search for:

1. A Heart That Seeks God in Private

Public prayer is easy. Private devotion is costly. Look for the person who prays when no one will know. Look for the one who studies Scripture not to preach, but to be changed.

2. A Pattern of Repentance, Not Just Performance

Everyone fails. The question isn't if they will mess up; it's what they do when they do. Do they deflect blame like Saul, or do they own it and seek restoration like David?

3. Fruit in the Hidden Places

Check their marriage. Check their family. Check how they treat the janitor and the intern. The fruit of the Spirit shows up in the ordinary moments, not just the spotlight.

4. A Teachable Spirit

Saul stopped listening to God. David kept listening, even when it hurt. A leader who can't receive correction is a leader who will eventually self-destruct.

The Grace in the Mess

Here's the beautiful part: even when we mess up and choose the "Saul" instead of the "David," God doesn't abandon His people. He keeps working. He keeps redeeming. He keeps shaping.

If you've been burned by a leader who looked good but lacked character, don't let that steal your hope. Rest doesn't come after you fix yourself. Rest comes first. God's mercy is after you right now, ready to bring real grace and honest hope.

And if you're a leader who realizes you've been living more like Saul than David: more concerned with how you look than who you are: there's grace for you too. The cross doesn't just cover your sins; it transforms your identity. You don't have to perform anymore. You can repent, return, and rest.

God doesn't want polished leaders. He wants pious hearts. And the good news is, He's the one who does the transforming.

Moving Forward: Choose Character Over Charisma

As we choose the leaders of our ministries, let's commit to examining who they are, not just what they look like. Let's search out integrity, character, and a genuine walk with God.

Let's stop being impressed by the "head and shoulders above" appearance and start looking for the "man after God's own heart" reality.

The Christian life was never meant to be powered by fear, pressure, or performance. It was meant to be lived from being loved first. And when we choose leaders who understand that, we create ministries that reflect the heart of God, not just the polish of the world.

If you're navigating leadership decisions or trying to recover from the damage of a "Saul leader," I'd love to walk with you. Check out more at waustingardner.com or dive deeper into what it means to lead from identity rather than performance in The Big Leap of Faith: Believing God Loves You Exactly As You Are.

FAQ: Leadership & the Saul Trap

What does "choosing leaders based on appearance" look like in modern ministry?

It looks like hiring the person with the biggest platform, the most impressive resume, or the most charisma without examining their character, their private walk with God, or how they treat people behind closed doors. We get dazzled by what we can see and forget to search for integrity.

How can I avoid falling into the "Saul Trap" when selecting leaders?

Ask the hard questions. Look at their family, their fruit in hidden places, their response to correction, and their private devotion to God. Choose character over charisma, and integrity over impressiveness. A polished appearance is no substitute for a pious heart.

What should I do if I've been hurt by a leader who looked good but lacked character?



First, know that God sees you and hasn't abandoned you. Don't let someone else's failure steal your hope or your faith. Seek healing, surround yourself with safe people, and remember that God's grace is bigger than anyone's betrayal. Rest doesn't come after you fix yourself( rest comes first.)