It's Complicated(S1) : WK 6 - THU
1 Samuel 24:12-15
“May the LORD judge between us. Perhaps the LORD will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you. As that old proverb says, ‘From evil people come evil deeds.’ So you can be sure I will never harm you. Who is the king of Israel trying to catch anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a single flea? May the LORD therefore judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one. He is my advocate, and he will rescue me from your power!”
Psalm 57:1-3
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by.
I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me. He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me. My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness.
Why does David commit to never harming Saul? Surely he has every excuse and every right to lash out against his tormentor? This is incredibly confusing when viewed against the backdrop of today’s philosophy. We seem to have fully embraced a culture of revenge and retaliation. When someone instigates an attack, their target is expected to fight back. Rarely will anyone respond with peace, de-escalation, or choose not to respond at all. However, there are compelling reasons to consider adopting David’s approach.
First, David isn’t just a wimp, trembling in fear with the heart of Oz’s Cowardly Lion. His refusal of violent retaliation mirrors the God he walks with, sings about, and prays to. Consider God’s strategy in the plan of salvation. Instead of launching a violent attack on those who have wronged Him, God sends His son to die for us. This approach contrasts sharply with the Spirit of Darkness, which seeks retribution through murderous violence. Talk about counterculture! Both Paul and Peter urge believers to resist the everyday practices of our time: “Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:9).
There is a second, very practical objection to striking out against the king. Consider the outcome if David murders Saul in the cave. At first, it would seem heroic. The underdog has won. To be clear, Saul is the odds-on favorite to win this dispute. It would be stunning for David to emerge from the cave with Saul’s head in hand. His rise to the throne would be inevitable. However, historically, when someone gains power through the murder of a predecessor, it triggers a chain reaction of similar behavior. Often, entire families partake in murderous actions after witnessing an initial impatient and bloody revolt. If David chooses this path, he will never live in peace among his countrymen.
Here, we gain insight into making choices in our own lives. There are numerous opportunities for aggressive responses to the people we encounter. When someone cuts in line in traffic or at the grocery store, we become the target of a spicy social media post, or a coworker acts selfishly to our detriment; we are tempted to follow the script demonstrated around us every day. However, the example of David in the cave calls us to a different path. In these moments, we should remember the words of Jesus as he faced captors in the Garden of Gethsemane. When his disciple pulls a sword to defend against the menacing crowd, Jesus says, “Put away your sword. Those who use the sword will die by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52).
Perhaps a key ingredient in our recipe for loving well in this chaotic world is to pour a generous helping of peace over the anger and vitriol we encounter.
“May the LORD judge between us. Perhaps the LORD will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you. As that old proverb says, ‘From evil people come evil deeds.’ So you can be sure I will never harm you. Who is the king of Israel trying to catch anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a single flea? May the LORD therefore judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one. He is my advocate, and he will rescue me from your power!”
Psalm 57:1-3
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by.
I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me. He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me. My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness.
Why does David commit to never harming Saul? Surely he has every excuse and every right to lash out against his tormentor? This is incredibly confusing when viewed against the backdrop of today’s philosophy. We seem to have fully embraced a culture of revenge and retaliation. When someone instigates an attack, their target is expected to fight back. Rarely will anyone respond with peace, de-escalation, or choose not to respond at all. However, there are compelling reasons to consider adopting David’s approach.
First, David isn’t just a wimp, trembling in fear with the heart of Oz’s Cowardly Lion. His refusal of violent retaliation mirrors the God he walks with, sings about, and prays to. Consider God’s strategy in the plan of salvation. Instead of launching a violent attack on those who have wronged Him, God sends His son to die for us. This approach contrasts sharply with the Spirit of Darkness, which seeks retribution through murderous violence. Talk about counterculture! Both Paul and Peter urge believers to resist the everyday practices of our time: “Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:9).
There is a second, very practical objection to striking out against the king. Consider the outcome if David murders Saul in the cave. At first, it would seem heroic. The underdog has won. To be clear, Saul is the odds-on favorite to win this dispute. It would be stunning for David to emerge from the cave with Saul’s head in hand. His rise to the throne would be inevitable. However, historically, when someone gains power through the murder of a predecessor, it triggers a chain reaction of similar behavior. Often, entire families partake in murderous actions after witnessing an initial impatient and bloody revolt. If David chooses this path, he will never live in peace among his countrymen.
Here, we gain insight into making choices in our own lives. There are numerous opportunities for aggressive responses to the people we encounter. When someone cuts in line in traffic or at the grocery store, we become the target of a spicy social media post, or a coworker acts selfishly to our detriment; we are tempted to follow the script demonstrated around us every day. However, the example of David in the cave calls us to a different path. In these moments, we should remember the words of Jesus as he faced captors in the Garden of Gethsemane. When his disciple pulls a sword to defend against the menacing crowd, Jesus says, “Put away your sword. Those who use the sword will die by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52).
Perhaps a key ingredient in our recipe for loving well in this chaotic world is to pour a generous helping of peace over the anger and vitriol we encounter.
- What pet peeve(s) nearly always triggers a response from you? How do you typically respond?
- When was the last time you were in a “fight” or dispute? Who was it with? What was the result or resolution?
- Knowing how we have wronged God and His response of love and kindness, what would you like to say to Him today?
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