“And David said, "Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” - 2 Samuel 9:1
When David was confirmed in his Kingdom one of the first things he did was to look up any surviving descendants of Saul so that he could show them “the kindness of God.”
As it turned out, he found a son of his particular friend and comrade in arms Jonathan, named Mephibosheth. Jonathan, his father, had been the Crown Prince, the one likely to become King after his father, Saul.
Under normal circumstances, by all the rules of this world, Mephibosheth would have been a lifelong enemy of David. The Kingdom had been snatched away from his father and passed to David. David would have viewed him as a likely source of trouble.
But David had promised Jonathan and Saul that he would be kind to their family when he became King. He was determined to do things God’s way in His Kingdom and he kept that promise.
The World’s way of dealing with our enemies is very different from God’s way. By the rules of the World, David would have ferreted out the descendants of Saul and eliminated them. But in the kindness of God, David kept his promise and showed mercy to them.
How do you deal with the people who are a threat to you? God’s way doesn’t mean you pretend the danger isn’t real. But if we trust in God we can be kind and forgive, even when they mean us harm. God is able to take care of us, so we are free to show kindness even to our enemies.
Lord Jesus my life is in Your hands, and I trust in Your loving care. Help me to respond to people who hate me with forgiveness and kindness, as You Yourself do. Fill me with Your presence so that You are seen in me, even by my enemies. Amen.
Pastor Dan Giles
Yorumlar