What if the way to get what we want, wasn’t what we thought AT ALL?
I remember the red jersey of my fourth grade softball uniform. We were decent as team. I was terrible as a player. But we were AMAZING at the cheers.
We would yell and scream and chant the whole game. I think I stayed on the team so long because I loved the cheering. It sure wasn’t my incredible batting average!
I remember shamelessly cheering whenever the opponent would strike out and calling the opposing team’s pitcher everything from a belly-itcher to even worse.
I’d like to think I’ve grown up.
But…isn’t it interesting that even as grown-ups, when the office bully gets a dose of his own medicine – or the neighborhood boss gets transferred and has to move – we cheer silently.
Even though we justify it in our heads. ‘They deserve it’ or they had it coming.’ Funny how when we have a bad day we want grace, but when other people hassle us…vindication is fine with us.
King David’s response to the death of his long-time friend-enemy really convicted my heart. He wanted to know who killed the king that had stalked David and his men for years trying to kill them.
David was appalled that someone DARE touch God’s once-anointed King Saul. Even though Saul was the reason David wasn’t king yet. Regardless of the many times Saul personally threw a spear at David and tried to kill him. Without a thought to the fact that Saul spread lies about David regularly. With no blame that David had to live hidden in a cave rather than in a home to stay safe.
David’s honor for his enemy far outclasses the way many of us have been thinking. Maybe that’s why God was able to promote him from shepherd boy to king.
“…For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7
Of all the things that David was – warrior, poet, lover-of-God. And, all the things that David did wrong – fornicator, murderer, and more. God promoted him because of his heart.
Not a perfect record. Not his drive, ambition or witty ideas. None of the things we would think of. It was…humility.
Humility that grieved and honored a fallen opponent in public. Not thinking of only his own good while magnifying his foes faults. Being submitted to a position and a posture even after the passing of his pursuer.
God saw David’s heart and THAT was the determining factor in promoting him over someone else.
Are you like me and don’t want this to be the furthest you go? God, help us to have a heart like David. To celebrate other’s victories with a joyful heart. To overlook opponent’s jeers and sneers with a forgiving spirit. And to walk in the footsteps and the heart attitudes of King David. Amen.
