From: stevek
Date: Sun Dec 21 13:23:51 MST 2003
Subject: 2 Samuel 19

In the sermon on the mount, Jesus goes to great lengths to encourage us to have a heart first for the needs of others. Things like 'walk a second mile', 'give them your cloak, too', and 'pray for those who persecute you/love your enemies.' In 2 Samuel 19 there are 3 nice pictures of that spirit in the persons of David, Mephibosheth and a new guy to us by the name of Barzillai. In verses 24-40, David is gathering his victorious troops and followers together for the trip back into Jerusalem. Mephibosheth (Jonathon's son for whom David had pledged to provide) approaches David to greet him. David asks why Mephib hadn't accompanied him in battle earlier (remember that Mephibosheth is lame from a childhood injury) and is told that he had planned to, but that he had been betrayed by the person who was supposed to have provided him a ride (ever been let down by someone who told you they'd give you a ride, and you're left standing like a fool?) It turns out that the guy (Ziba) had been given a parcel of property as war spoils. David orders that that land be equally divided between Ziba and Mephibosheth. Instead of taking it, Mephib says to simply let Ziba keep it all, and that he's just glad to see David 'home safely.' David's heart is for fairness/Mephib's heart is not to exact a toll from the guy who had stood him up, but to forgive that and give God thanks for David's safety. He knew the more important issue was not a piece of property, but the relationship he had with David, and to forgive the wrong which had been done to him. Next comes the old guy Barzillai. The Bible tells us that he's 80 years old. David invites him to accompany him into Jerusalem, but Barzillai expresses concern that he'd be a burden on the journey and that David should leave him to die in his home town and take another, younger and more useful guy (Kimham - possibly Barzillai's son; 1 Kings 2:7.) David agrees to the swap, and to provide for Kimham out of respect for Barzillai. Again, the heart of David was to reach out to the old man, the heart of the old man was to let someone else take his place in being blessed by the king. I'm struck by the way the Lord uses people regardless of status or age. Mephibosheth and Kimham were young. David was middle aged. Barzallai was old. Consider Luke 2, where Mary and Joseph take Jesus to make an dedication of Him to God. They are both in their teens. They are met by Simeon and Anna, two old people who are still serving God, and who come to bless the two young people who are also serving God. Look at the offering Mary and Joseph leave at the altar - 2 turtledoves and 2 pigeons. That's an offering left by people who are of low social means/not a bull or lamb which would have been left by rich parents. David's a king, and yet he reaches out to one who is disabled, and one who is old and feeble. And yet both of those two bless him in return, despite the variance in their respective status'. It's a picture of us all being in this kingdom work thing together. We serve God by serving one another. Matthew 19, the last verse - the first shall be last, and the last shall be first. It's so easy to make our first reaction to a situation in which we stand to gain to elect the option which will most benefit us. Me first. But from the old testament to the new we're shown pictures of God's people operating on a different plane than that. In Acts (20:35) Paul exhorts the Ephesian elders to remember what Jesus had taught; that is 'it is more blessed to give than to receive (side note: there's no reference in the Scriptures to Jesus ever having said those words/but they certainly reflect the heart of what He taught.)' Ephesus was the church which Revelations tells us had worked well, but had left their first love; Paul tells them to turn back to the things of Christ/to give of themselves. I believe that that's the heart we're called to demonstrate as we walk as His ambassadors - even, and maybe even especially to those who aren't the most lovable, or gracious in receiving Him through us. That doesn't mean to become a doormat, and certainly not to compromise and deny Jesus. But what we see is a heart that reaches out first - that's what Christ did.

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