The Simple Life

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." Then the king arose and took his seat in the gate. And the people were all told, "Behold, the king is sitting in the gate." And all the people came before the king. 2 Samuel 19:7-8 (ESV) We all need these kinds of friends. We need friends who see that we are struggling or even incapable of making the right decision and who will talk the truth to us to help us. Sadly, many have limited their friendships to only those who agree with them or think like them. The advice from those who desire to benefit from their association with you is worthless. David often benefited from advisors who challenged his thought process. They were not just critical, for that is destructive, but they were constructively critical, which is vital. Criti

And behold, the Cushite came, and the Cushite said, "Good news for my lord the king! For the Lord has delivered you this day from the hand of all who rose up against you." The king said to the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Absalom?" And the Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up against you for evil be like that young man." And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!" 2 Samuel 18:31-33 (ESV) Life is complicated for those who ignore God's ways. When sin is involved, we are always confused; when one is confused, they act confused. David's emotions were running all over the place. At this moment, his position was worthless. His family was self-destructing, and his people were confused and angry. Ignoring God and His ways will always c

So they pitched a tent for Absalom on the roof. And Absalom went in to his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel. Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the word of God; so was all the counsel of Ahithophel esteemed, both by David and by Absalom. 2 Samuel  16:22-23  (ESV) Treating anyone as if their counsel was the counsel of God will get you into trouble. Rhetoric can be eloquent and deceptive. Eloquence can never be the criterion for truth. Not only that, but when we have advisors who tell us what we want to hear, they are not advisors but pawns. Absalom was willing to destroy lives to gain the life for which he longed. He was not satisfied with being the king's son; he needed to be the king. This perverted desire was fueled by his good looks, his access to people in high places, and his fleshly desires for significance and security. Success is dying to self, not destroying others. Greatness is measured by how much we have helped o

Now in all Israel there was no one so much to be praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. And when he cut the hair of his head (for at the end of every year he used to cut it; when it was heavy on him, he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head, two hundred shekels by the king's weight. There were born to Absalom three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar. She was a beautiful woman. 2 Samuel 14:25-27 (ESV) Beauty and wealth are often worshiped. Although beauty and wealth are sometimes challenging to define, those who possess either, or think they have either, frequently become proud and arrogant.   Beauty and wealth are gifts given by God to be used to bring people to God, not to ourselves. Both are temporary gifts that fade and disappear in time. Both are gifts and should be treated as such. People who are wealthy or beautiful often think that their status gives them privilege because th

While they were on the way, news came to David, "Absalom has struck down all the king's sons, and not one of them is left." Then the king arose and tore his garments and lay on the earth. And all his servants who were standing by tore their garments. But Jonadab the son of Shimeah, David's brother, said, "Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men, the king's sons, for Amnon alone is dead. For by the command of Absalom this has been determined from the day he violated his sister Tamar. Now therefore let not my lord the king so take it to heart as to suppose that all the king's sons are dead, for Amnon alone is dead." 2 Samuel 13:30-33 (ESV) Power struggles, jealousy, anger, and using people for one's pleasure can never end well. We keep trying, time and time again, to find significance and security in things that can provide neither. We keep returning to the same well, hoping that somehow, someway, water has filled its cavity

And her brother Absalom said to her, "Has Amnon your brother been with you? Now hold your peace, my sister. He is your brother; do not take this to heart." So Tamar lived, a desolate woman, in her brother Absalom's house. When King David heard of all these things, he was very angry. But Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad, for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had violated his sister Tamar. 2 Samuel  13:20-22  (ESV) Saying nothing can be a wise move or a wrong move. In this case, saying nothing would prove to be a great mistake. The sin in our lives is something that will always reap consequences. David's sin kept coming back to bite him, and for the rest of his life, he was to live with strife, jealousy, anger, and rebellion. This does not mean that David is not a man after God's heart. It means that a man after God's heart is capable of horrendous moments in history, and these moments will affect those he loves today and for the generations to come. We

Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. Then his servants said to him, "What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food." He said, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, 'Who knows whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?' But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me." 2 Samuel  12:20-23  (ESV) David hoped his sincere prayers and repentance would correct the consequences of his sin that affected his young, innocent son. He expressed well the pain associated with those who realize how their decisions have adversely affected those they love. Yet, there came a tim

“’Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and have taken his wife to be your wife and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.'” 2 Samuel 12:9-10 (ESV) Ideas and actions have consequences. One day, we must give an account for our thoughts and actions. There will be two categories on that day: right and wrong. We might think something is necessary due to its "pressing" nature, yet the "pressing" nature is that of feelings and emotions, not facts. If we get used to satisfying our urges just because we have them, we will equate the satisfied urge with what is right and wrong, and come up with sayings like "It was right for me." When principles are involved, there is a right and a wrong. If it is right, it is r

When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she lamented over her husband. And when the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord. 2 Samuel 11:26-27 (ESV) This cover-up was evident to all. Those around him saw something obviously wrong several times in David's life, yet they did not say anything about it. They watched and perhaps discussed it behind closed doors, but remained silent.  This was a tragic event. The king took advantage of his position, power, and friendship and destroyed a family. Self-centered, God-ignoring lives eventually live in regret. Was the tragedy that David got caught or that Uriah's family was destroyed? Would it be less of a tragedy if David had never gotten caught or confronted? No. Those who slip into or blatantly sin will regret their actions and the process that brought them to those actions. The time to change is be

Uriah said to David, "The ark and Israel and Judah dwell in booths, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field. Shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing." 2 Samuel 11:11 (ESV) Cover-ups do not work. Lies and deception eventually get exposed. Uriah was a man of integrity who knew what he should be doing and was determined to get back and participate in the fight. Imagine the pain David was going through right then. He sinned against God, used Uriah's wife, and attempted to manipulate Uriah to hide his sin. None of his manipulations were working. As is so often the case, his failed manipulation caused him to be more desperate in the cover-up, and he had a moment where, instead of being a man after God's heart, he focused on saving his reputation, no matter the cost to others. Truth sets you free; lies enslave and destroy. For now, the choice is

It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, "Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she had been purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. And the woman conceived, and she sent and told David, "I am pregnant." 2 Samuel 11:2-5 (ESV) He looked. He desired. He succumbed. This disaster could have been avoided if he had been leading his troops in battle, or if his mind had focused on the war they were in and what was best for his people. David took advantage of his position and power. Instead of using his position and power for the people's good, he used it for his pleasure. Whenever one uses their excess fo

In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 11:1 (ESV) David chose to pull rank to stay home. It was customary for the king to go to war to participate in the battle, but for some reason, David, at least at this moment, was willing to let others fight his wars. There were probably several justifications for his behavior. He was the king. He was entitled. He had put in his time. He was more valuable, more important than the average citizen, and so forth. What is more troubling is that he was willing to demand his people to do something he was no longer willing to do. Ministry leaders today struggle with the same issues. They often expect others to volunteer their time while volunteering little or none. (It would be unpaid "overtime" for them.) Leaders expect others to sacrifice while they receive the sacr

So David reigned over all Israel. And David administered justice and equity to all his people. 2 Samuel 8:15 (ESV) David defeated many. Was it because David was strong, or was it because David was faithful? Was not David, the young man who was a nobody, a shepherd boy? David was faithful as a shepherd, faithful to his father and brothers, and faithful to God. Faithfulness is something we need to practice. It starts with us keeping our word. So often, it seems people hesitate to commit to things. It looks as if they are waiting to see if a better offer exists on the table so they will not miss out. David committed, and while others were still waiting for the best option, he found the best option was the best option. David was in the habit of doing right, and even though there were times when he did right wrong and with intentional disobedience, he was one whose heart sought God. Part of seeking God is seeking opportunities that are bigger than you so that you can show the world who God

Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? 2 Samuel 7:18 (ESV) God does not need me; He wants me. He needs no human to do His work, for He is quite capable without us. It is never a sacrifice to serve God; it is a privilege. Those who consider it a sacrifice have elevated themselves to be more important than they are. I often hear of "sacrificial" giving or service, and perhaps some of that is happening. However, when someone gives from their abundance or serves when it is convenient, we can hardly call that "sacrificial."  The crumbs from a rich man's table may make a feast for the beggar, but it does not make the rich man generous, for a gift that costs one nothing is not a gift. Generosity does not flow out of abundance but out of the heart. It is not something we are compelled to be; it is something we are privileged to be.  David understood God's generosi

And David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the Lord, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals. And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God. 2 Samuel 6:5-7 (ESV) Sometimes, we celebrate that by which we should be disgusted. Sometimes, the enthusiasm of the crowd replaces rational thoughts and actions.  David was excited, the people were excited, and the celebration was at a fever pitch until Uzzah touched the ark and died. Uzzah knew better. David knew better. The people knew better. Yet they all went against what they knew to be true. This is the formula for disaster. It was fitting that they wanted God with them, yet they were doing right wrong, and those who do right wrong are as wrong as those who d

David again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. And David arose and went with all the people with him from Baale-Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the Lord of hosts who sits enthroned on the cherubim. And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. And Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart, with the ark of God, and Ahio went before the ark. 2 Samuel 6:1-4 (ESV) David knew, as did the priests and the people, that the ark of God was to be carried in a specific way, and a new cart was not it. One must wonder why David would intentionally disobey God, and why no one in the crowd was willing to challenge what he was doing. Those who watch others do wrong and say nothing are as much a part of the problem as those who do the wrong. Responsible people must not remain silent amid obvious evil. https://www.podbean.com/relate365

And David became greater and greater, for the Lord, the God of hosts, was with him. 2 Samuel 5:10 (ESV) The criterion for greatness concerns our proximity to God, not our position in life. Money and power are feeble compared to proper positioning, and all people, in all countries and all economic brackets, can choose to be appropriately positioned. David, as a young man, was a shepherd. He practiced responsibility by actually watching over the sheep and protecting them from predators. When the predators were animals that could easily defeat him, he still practiced responsibility, and through that practice, he drew near to God, and his position made him a hero. It is always easy to see how God has worked in other people's lives while ignoring that we, too, could be used by God in similar miraculous ways. We keep thinking about how grand life would be if we lived then or were those people. Well, we're not them; we're us. We, too, can walk with God today or admire those who ar

And Abner conferred with the elders of Israel, saying, "For some time past you have been seeking David as king over you. Now then bring it about, for the Lord has promised David, saying, 'By the hand of my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from the hand of all their enemies.'" Abner also spoke to Benjamin. And then Abner went to tell David at Hebron all that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin thought good to do. 2 Samuel  3:17-19  (ESV) This "king" thing was not a good idea from the start, for it was not an idea initiated by God. Often, we "make up" the will of God by believing that the majority constitutes an affirmation of His will. Somehow, we forget about the word "holy" and the concepts of narrow gates, narrow roads, and the "few" that find them. Those who trust people more than God usually insist on leading by consensus. They sometimes point to the verse about the "co

David said to him, "How is it you were not afraid to put out your hand to destroy the Lord's anointed?" Then David called one of the young men and said, "Go, execute him." And he struck him down so that he died. And David said to him, "Your blood be on your head, for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, 'I have killed the Lord's anointed.'" 2 Samuel  1:14-16  (ESV) Trying to gain value in the eyes of the king by bringing him news of his enemy's demise was not a good idea. It is interesting how we all seem to see things differently. This man thought that he was bringing good news to David, yet when David heard it, he declared it to be bad news and had this man executed. What is it that causes two individuals to see things so differently? What is it that makes one viewpoint right and one wrong, or one better than another? I'm not sure, but I know that one day, every idle word I have spoken will be judged by one who has no

Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 2 Samuel  1:11-12  (ESV) Those who love God desire reconciliation, not punishment. Those who understand forgiveness forgive. Those who understand mercy are merciful. Those who understand pain are empathetic. Those who have wept know how to comfort those who weep. David found no joy in the death or destruction of Saul and his family. In fact, it brought him great sorrow. Pastors are often in a similar role in that those they serve can be very cruel and critical of them, yet when disaster strikes, the pastor is the first one there to care and comfort. It is what the Godly leader does. Nothing is well served by anger, revenge, and hatred. Those who are trying to find their value by destroying the lives of those around