Kindness Rejected
II Sam. 10
David tries to show kindness to the son of Nahash king of Ammon when his father dies. This is following on the heels of an instance of David's kindness doing much good--now it backfires. Hanun is suspicious, listening to his counselors, and believes David's emissaries are spies. He insults David's men, cutting off their beards and their garments. His vicious response started a war.
The fact that this story and the story of Mephibosheth are so close together is no accident. (That's one thing I'm finding with the OT...where stories are told in relation to the book often has significance!) In the one case, a destitute man is humble enough to accept kindness. In this case, a proud king suspects the motives of the one offering kindness and insults his messengers.
That has to be a picture of two responses to God's offer of salvation. Mephib. was poor and needy, and he knew it. Hanun was proud and insulting. One receives salvation, the other causes a war. This is a picture of God giving grace to the humble, but resisting the proud who reject Him.
So...how often do I mistrust God's goodness and believe Satan's accusations that God's goodness is not pure, that He has an ulterior motive? I may not admit it to myself, but don't I sometimes think He does not have my good in mind? Yep, I can be just like Hanun!
Unfortunately, I identify more with the screw-ups in the Bible than the "good guys..."
David tries to show kindness to the son of Nahash king of Ammon when his father dies. This is following on the heels of an instance of David's kindness doing much good--now it backfires. Hanun is suspicious, listening to his counselors, and believes David's emissaries are spies. He insults David's men, cutting off their beards and their garments. His vicious response started a war.
The fact that this story and the story of Mephibosheth are so close together is no accident. (That's one thing I'm finding with the OT...where stories are told in relation to the book often has significance!) In the one case, a destitute man is humble enough to accept kindness. In this case, a proud king suspects the motives of the one offering kindness and insults his messengers.
That has to be a picture of two responses to God's offer of salvation. Mephib. was poor and needy, and he knew it. Hanun was proud and insulting. One receives salvation, the other causes a war. This is a picture of God giving grace to the humble, but resisting the proud who reject Him.
So...how often do I mistrust God's goodness and believe Satan's accusations that God's goodness is not pure, that He has an ulterior motive? I may not admit it to myself, but don't I sometimes think He does not have my good in mind? Yep, I can be just like Hanun!
Unfortunately, I identify more with the screw-ups in the Bible than the "good guys..."
posted by Emily at 4:18 AM
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