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- Oct 26, 2007
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"[Is] there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?" 2 Samuel 9:3
When God’s Spirit departed from Israel’s first king, Saul hunted his replacement, the young shepherd who had killed a giant and played peaceful harmonies to lull his troubled soul. David lived on the run for years, refusing to fight back against God’s anointed, even when presented with two ideal opportunities to end Saul’s life.
David not only passed up taking revenge, but after Saul died in battle, he sought out his remaining descendants, not to kill them and consolidate his power but to see if he could do them any good.
In David’s day, mercy was seen as weakness. To refuse to retaliate or return a slight to your honor tainted you in most eyes as unreliable. The whole turning-the-other-cheek thing would have been as ridiculous to them as wearing a clown nose to meet your future in-laws would be to you.
But, as David demonstrated, the higher virtue is in being able to avenge yourself but refusing to do so. It takes faith to refrain—a belief that when God said vengeance belonged to Him (Proverbs 25:21-22; Romans 12:19), He meant it. Not only will He hold you accountable for all you’ve said and done, He’ll do the same for everyone else. Have the faith to let Him.
When God’s Spirit departed from Israel’s first king, Saul hunted his replacement, the young shepherd who had killed a giant and played peaceful harmonies to lull his troubled soul. David lived on the run for years, refusing to fight back against God’s anointed, even when presented with two ideal opportunities to end Saul’s life.
David not only passed up taking revenge, but after Saul died in battle, he sought out his remaining descendants, not to kill them and consolidate his power but to see if he could do them any good.
In David’s day, mercy was seen as weakness. To refuse to retaliate or return a slight to your honor tainted you in most eyes as unreliable. The whole turning-the-other-cheek thing would have been as ridiculous to them as wearing a clown nose to meet your future in-laws would be to you.
But, as David demonstrated, the higher virtue is in being able to avenge yourself but refusing to do so. It takes faith to refrain—a belief that when God said vengeance belonged to Him (Proverbs 25:21-22; Romans 12:19), He meant it. Not only will He hold you accountable for all you’ve said and done, He’ll do the same for everyone else. Have the faith to let Him.
