The problem is not making mistakes early in life; the problem is never learning from them.
Hmm. David is introduced while caring for sheep. We become acquainted with Saul when he’s looking for lost donkeys. Are these portends of things to come? There’s a lot of the sheep in David, too much of the stubborn donkey in Saul. And here is the first thing we hear from the lips of Saul: “Come, let us return, lest my father cease caring about the donkeys and become worried about us” (1 Sam 9:5). We have to ask: When Saul becomes king and God’s people wander off (as they sometimes do), will Saul be able to bring them back? Or would he be more concerned about himself? On top of that, it’s his servant who says, “Look now, there is in this city a man of God, and he is an honorable man; all that he says surely comes to pass. So let us go there; perhaps he can show us the way that we should go” (v 6). It didn’t seem to cross Saul’s mind to seek the Lord’s help. Thankfully his servant not only thought of it, but was prepared to give something to him (vv 7-8). So as they approach the town, they see several young ladies headed to the well to draw water. “Is the seer here?” they ask (v 11). Now watch carefully. The Lord, in His school, always gives the lesson before the test. Is Saul paying attention? If so, he’ll hear the question on his final exam. “Yes,” the young ladies answered, “there he is, just ahead of you. Hurry now; for today he came to this city, because there is a sacrifice of the people today on the high place. As soon as you come into the city, you will surely find him before he goes up to the high place to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, because he must bless the sacrifice; afterward those who are invited will eat. Now therefore, go up, for about this time you will find him” (vv 12-13). Lessons spurned are bridges burned.