May the mumbling commence!
Sometimes, we will try to do right by our friends only
to be met by insult and injury. That is
what David found when he sent ambassadors to the new Ammonite king at the death
of his father. Read from the beginning
of First Chronicles chapter nineteen:
Sometime after this, King Nahash of the Ammonites died,
and his son Hanun became king. David
said, "I
am going to show complete loyalty to
Hanun because his father, Nahash, was always completely loyal to me." So David sent ambassadors to express
sympathy to Hanun about his father's death.
But when David's ambassadors arrived in the land of
Ammon, Hanun's
advisers said to him, "Do you really think these men are coming here to
honor your father? No! David has sent
them to spy out the land so that they can come in and conquer it!" So Hanun seized David's ambassadors and
shaved their beards, cut off their robes at the buttocks, and sent them back to David in shame. When David heard what had happened, he sent messengers to
tell the men to stay at Jericho until their beards grew out, for they were very
embarrassed by their appearance. (Verses 1-5)
Sympathy is met by suspicion. Instead of accepting sympathy for his
father’s death, Hanun heeded the counsel of his advisors. First David’s men had come to spy out the
land. Then the invading army would come.
Beards were shaved.
Clothing was cut short. And the
ambassadors were sent home in disgrace and shame.
What was David’s response to such a slap in the
face? When he first heard of it, he sent
messengers to the ambassadors to tell them to stay in Jericho until their
beards were grown back. That would be
about a month’s worth of growth for most men.
They would need supplies and new clothes. Though the passage says nothing about these
things, I am sure that David provided these very things.
David ministered to those who were shamed first. No retaliation was on his mind when he first
heard about the rude reception that his ambassadors received. Would that our political leaders would
respond with such tact!
Such tact is a sign of a deep faith in the Lord’s
ability to judge and bring forth justice.
Such faith is what saves us. Read
from the end of Romans chapter nine:
Well then, what shall we say about these things? Just
this: The
Gentiles have been made right with God by
faith, even though they were not seeking him. But the Jews, who tried so hard to get right
with God by keeping the law, never succeeded.
Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by
keeping the law and being good instead of by depending on faith.
They stumbled over the great rock in their path. God warned them of this in the Scriptures
when he said,
"I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that
causes people to stumble,
and a rock that makes them fall.
But anyone who believes
in him will not be disappointed." (Verses 30-33)
Our salvation is not a matter of doing. It is a matter of being. Yes, being will eventually lead to doing –
but it all starts with being, with believing.
Have faith in God, and just see where it will lead you.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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