Kindness – Page 3

Digging in Deeper: 2 Samuel 16:10-11

December 5, 2018December 6, 2018Leave a comment

“But the king said, ‘What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, “Curse David,” who then shall say, “Why have you done so?”’ And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, ‘Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to.’” (CSB – Read the chapter)‬‬

How do you respond when you’ve been cursed? Let’s broaden that out: How do you respond to a perceived insult? Do you immediately seek to respond in kind? Do you nurse a grudge that eventually becomes a sullen hatred? Do you begin plotting how you will get your revenge at some point in the future? Being insulted is tough. It’s even tougher when the person insulting you is someone over whom you have some measure of authority. That’s what David experienced. What would you do? Read the rest…

Morning Musing: 2 Samuel 19:7

December 5, 2018December 4, 2018Leave a comment

“Now therefore arise, go out and speak kindly to your servants, for I swear by the Lord, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night, and this will be worse for you than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.” (ESV – Read the chapter) ‬‬

The emotions and politics of this chapter are complex. It is filled with grace and also tension. David is rebuilding his kingship after Absalom had done much damage to it in his rebellion. We’d like to think this was a nice, neat little endeavor since that’s how so many of our stories today are written, but it was not. Whereas so many of our stories stop with the victory, this gives us a glimpse of what comes after the victory has been won.

Read the rest

Morning Musing: 2 Samuel 9:1

October 26, 2018October 25, 2018Leave a comment

“And David said, “Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan’s sake?”” (ESV – Read the chapter) ‬‬

It is episodes like this one that garnered David the title “man after God’s own heart.” What David does here is perfectly in line with the way God operates toward us. We would do well to follow in his footsteps, if not in detail, then at least in intent. Read the rest…

Digging in Deeper: 1 Samuel 23:12

October 10, 2018October 9, 2018Leave a comment

“Then David said, “Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” And the Lord said, “They will surrender you.”” (ESV – Read the chapter)

Have you ever done something good only to have it blow up in your face? Have you ever given of yourself somehow to help someone else only to have them either throw it back in your face or else stab you in the back later? There’s an old adage that one good turn deserves another, but more often life seems to work out by way of a more cynical adage: No good deed goes unpunished. Read the rest…

Morning Musing: 1 Samuel 25:10-11

September 28, 2018September 26, 2018Leave a comment

“And Nabal answered David’s servants, ‘Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters. Shall I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men who come from I do not know where?’” (ESV – Read the chapter) ‬‬

We live in a day of declining manners. The state of public dialogue is growing coarser and coarser. This is a truly lamentable fact. Unfortunately, this doesn’t represent some kind of advance, but a great step backward with folks like Nabal as our guide. Read the rest…