Date: November 24, 2021 | Series: Youth for Jesus | Number: Vol. 4, No. 29
“David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.” (1Sam 30:6NIV)
Why was David distressed on the occasion mentioned in the bible text above? He was distressed because his fighting men were talking about stoning him? But why were they talking about stoning him? It was because each of them was bitter in spirit because their wives, sons and daughters had been taking captive by the Amalekites. And they blamed him for it. They blamed him for it because he was their leader that took them far away from their family without leaving some armed men behind to protect them.
So, in a sense, David was actually to blame for their misery. But stoning him or killing him in any way was not going to bring their wives, children and possessions that had been captured back to them. Also, it could not in any way have brought comfort to their hearts or taken away the sorrow of losing their loved ones. But because they allowed their distress to overwhelm them, they totally forgot that David had always been a good, kind and reliable leader to them all and to their families and began to think of killing him.
Perhaps you too are in a similar situation right now. You made a mistake or certain circumstances have come up against you that are threatening to destroy you or your reputation. And instead for the people that you have loved and cared for to show some sympathy and help you walk in victory over what you are faced with, all they can think or talk about is how to punish you for allowing your problem to become their personal problem or how to make sure your problem does not become their personal problem.
Now how you respond in such situations will go a long way in determining whether they go from bad to worse or are turned around by God for your good. In David’s case, though he must have felt really bad that his men and friends, whom he loved dearly and had been taken care of, could be so selfish in that situation that all they could think about was killing him instead of rallying round him to find a solution to their common predicament. Nevertheless, he did not fight or argue with them. Why? First, it must have been because he admitted in his heart that what happened was partly his fault. He overlooked a part of his leadership function, which was to secure the lives and properties of his people. So, in that instance, he failed them.
Second, David did not fight or try to defend himself before his men on this occasion because he knew that it would not solve their problem. On the contrary, it would only make an already bad situation worse. So, instead of trying to defend himself, he turned to God for comfort, strength and restoration. And did he find these things, which he could not find in his warriors and friends, in Him or not? He did. As the account further shows us, David not only found strength and comfort in God on this occasion, he also found victory over his enemies in Him. He was able, through God’s enablement, to defeat those who had taken his people captive, take back everybody and everything they had captured and also take the goods of these enemies of his. (Cf. 1Sam 30)
How seriously we need such leaders like David today, leaders who will admit their wrongs when they are wrong instead of acting in arrogance, leaders who will seek God’s face and take every step within their power to solve the problems of their people instead of trading blames? Unfortunately, what we have in many places of authority today are selfish, self-occupied and arrogant leaders, who busy themselves with fighting and insulting everyone that is pointing out their flaws instead of admitting their failures and dealing with them.
In any case, you don’t have to be a leader to be in a situation similar to David’s. And if you too will look to God for your comfort, strength, boldness and wisdom to do the right thing, you will certainly walk in victory over whatever that situation throws at you. But if, instead of doing this, you give in to bitterness, quarrelling or blame trading, you will soon enough realise that you have made a bad situation worse for yourself and others. And the following consequences may not be pleasant at all.
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