18 Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the [j]thirty. And he swung his spear against three hundred [k]and killed them, and had a name as well as the three. 19 He was most honored of the thirty, therefore he became their commander; however, he did not attain to the three.
20 Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, [l]killed the [m]two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day. 21 He [n]killed an Egyptian, [o]an impressive man. Now the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22 These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a name as well as the three mighty men. 23 He was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David appointed him over his guard.
24 Asahel the brother of Joab was among the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29 Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, 31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearers of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39 Uriah the Hittite; thirty-seven in all.
There’s something about these men that isn’t mentioned, but we’ve seen elsewhere. Which is that some of them met very untimely ends. Asahel was killed in battle by Abner and Uriah was killed by David himself because of the king’s affair with Bathsheba.
While their names are recorded in history for their mighty deeds, their lives were cut short in tragic circumstances. We are not promised another day on this earth, but we ought to live every day as these men did. They took advantage of every opportunity, they showed courage and loyalty to the king. They did not let fear of death hold them back from doing great and mighty deeds.
Likewise, we are on this earth to do our best for our King. To make an impact in the lives of those around us, that should be our daily goal. Don’t settle for being normal, rise above mediocrity and take hold of the plan that God has for your life.