Nancy Leigh DeMoss: The Bible tells us about two kings of Israel who responded to their sin in very different ways.

The first was Saul. God had told him to kill some animals, but he didn’t. The other king, David, committed adultery with his neighbor’s wife and had that neighbor killed. David’s sin seems so much worse to us, yet the Bible calls him “a man after God’s own heart.” What made the difference? It was their response when confronted with their sin.

Saul defended, justified, and excused himself. When he finally admitted his disobedience, he didn’t want the news to leak out.

On the other hand, David humbly confessed and repented of his sin. We can read about it in Psalm 32 and Psalm 51.

The next time you recognize an area of sin, you can try to protect yourself, as Saul did. Or take the path of brokenness and humility like David—the man after God’s own heart.

With Seeking Him, I’m Nancy Leigh DeMoss.