Scripture Passage
(I look *good* in this shot, don't I?)
Scripture Focus
Ishbi-benob…had cornered David and was about to kill him. But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue and killed the Philistine. Then David’s men declared, “You are not going out to battle with us again! Why risk snuffing out the light of Israel?” (2 Samuel 21:16-17 NLT)
Observation
So many of the challenges David faced in the latter years of his reign seem traceable to the fallout from his moral failure with Bathsheba and the consequent murder of Uriah, her husband. That debacle is introduced by the observation that, in the spring “when kings normally go out to war”—and under Joab’s leadership, Israel’s troops had—“David stayed behind in Jerusalem” (1 Chron 20:1 NLT)
Everything I’m about to write is pure speculation. There’s not an iota of Scripture in direct support of it. I wonder, however—after reading today’s passage—if this same sort of statement hadn’t been made to David before…if, perhaps, David stayed behind in Jerusalem reluctantly, at the urging of his military or political leaders, and all in the interest of “protecting” David.
Take the sword from the warrior’s hand and there’s likely to be trouble. He or she may comply, but when you take from a person something they so dearly love…the thing they were created to do…the results can be more destructive than if you’d let ‘em go down swinging with the sword in their hand!
(I understand it’s not always as simple as I might be making it here, but…)
We take the same risk when we try to protect aging adults through forced retirement or perhaps the curtailment of activities we don’t think they’re up to anymore. We take the same risk when a spouse reaches a point of life-transition and wants to do something “different” (read “crazy”). We do the same sort of thing in our efforts to protect our kids, maybe trying to guide them towards the career or mate or location we think might be best for them.
I’m thinking today I’d much rather live a vibrant 50 years than a mediocre 90. Gimme my sword—and while you’re at it, grab your sword, too!
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