The Restraint to Not Retaliate

 

David could have made his path to the throne quick and easy, but he chose to avoid taking that course. This became evident when Saul decided to enter a cave to relieve himself where David and his 600 men were hiding. Outside were 3000 of Israel’s shock troops that had orders to kill David on sight. David’s men urged him to take advantage of this opportunity and kill Saul. The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” (1 Sam 24:4). The truth is God had never said that, but it made sense. The men realized that Saul considered David his “enemy,” so it was reasonable to assume that Saul was David’s enemy. It was evident to the men that this was a gift from the Lord. Stealthily David crept forward in the darkness and skillfully cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. After doing this, David was struck in his conscience.

David understood that the kingdom would undoubtedly be his one day, but he could not take it by his own power. Instead, he believed that he must leave it to God to give it to him in his own way. This prompted David to take a daring step of faith so he came out to the mouth of the cave and spoke to Saul giving a moving speech to Saul. David claimed his innocence, adding that Saul had no real reason to pursue him. Saul was also conscience-stricken and acknowledged that David would one day be king. Saul departed, and David and his men continued to live in the desert.

The men in the cave wanted David to take the opportunity that had so unexpectedly come to him. David’s refusal to do so displayed an astonishing insight. While God’s kingdom will undoubtedly entail overthrowing evil and justly punishing wickedness, that is in God’s hands. It will happen in God’s time and in God’s way, not ours. That is helpful for us to remember.

The Apostle Peter writes about Jesus’ incredible restraint, reminding us of David’s self-control.“When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23). What it says here is very difficult to process. When they hurled insults at Jesus, he did not hurl insults back at them. When they threatened him, he did not threaten them in return. Then comes this word, “Instead,” he entrusted himself to God, who will judge all justly. When I am insulted, I usually insult back. I will admit I am working on this.

Once, while driving home late from the Bible School in Cordoba, Argentina, I encountered a group of teens playing soccer in the middle of the road late at night. I slowed down but noticed several coming at me from the sides. It was a trap to hijack my car. I immediately gunned the car, and the teens jumped out of the path of the speeding vehicle, but not before one of them spit on my windshield. I had narrowly escaped harm, and I was scared, but I also felt angry, and I wanted to fight back. How do I do that (instead of) part—that trusting God part?

Paul’s Perspective on Suffering

  

The Apostle Paul wrote extraordinary words about suffering: “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us” (2 Cor 4:7).

Seeing our bodies as clay pots is insightful, but grasping that God has placed his power in these ordinary vessels is mind-boggling. This gave the apostle the strength to endure: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor 4:8-9).

This led the apostle to this conclusion about suffering: “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” 2 Cor 4:16-18).

The comparisons emerge from the paragraph: outwardly vs. inwardly, light troubles vs. eternal glory, what is seen vs. unseen, and temporary vs. lasting. This is the essence of Christianity—to see beyond this world. To understand that our suffering has a purpose and there is something far better that awaits us. There is no denying that suffering is real and painful. Still, it is temporary, and what cannot be seen with the eye is more powerful—the hand of God working his resolve. No wonder the Prophet Isaiah wrote: “For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back? (Isaiah 14:27).

David’s painful path to the throne is filled with suffering, but God is with him every step of the way. Many of the psalms speak to the sufferings of David. In the story of David, we read of the Philistines being delivered into David’s hand or Saul declaring that David had been delivered into his hand. Still, the hand that ultimately matters is God’s hand.

Jonathan came to him at one of David’s low points and “strengthened his hand in God” 1 (Sam 23:16). David needed this kind of encouragement. Encouragement to trust God even though everything doesn’t make sense—God will one day make sense of it. This is the type of encouragement we need—to trust God.

 

 

 

Insecurity

 

From the time we enter this world, if not before, even in the womb, we long for security. We want to feel safe and protected. This is part of what being a responsible parent means: giving your child your protection. That means physical and emotional. If a child grows up in an unstable environment with yelling and fighting, the child will be insecure. That insecurity will follow them into adulthood. Every child deserves to feel safe and that mommy and daddy will care for me. They will be here today, tomorrow, and every day. That is security.

Bullies are often very insecure, and they are fighting for their place. They lord it over those weaker, all for the reward of being seen as someone powerful. The truth is they don’t feel powerful, and they don’t feel accepted.

Appearances of security are an illusion when it comes to King Saul. He was overwhelmed with fear. Listen to him address his servants: “Listen, men of Benjamin! Will the son of Jesse give all of you fields and vineyards? Will he make all of you commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds? (1 Samuel 22:7). Notice Saul’s servants were all from his tribe. They are probably the only ones that Saul trusts. This is the way of kings and dictators. Who can you trust? He believes that everyone around him is conspiring against him. This is insecurity out of control. He has everything he wants except security. Saul is an incoherent, ranting, desperate man. There was no evidence whatsoever that his servants contemplated any form of disloyalty. Saul, however, was in the grip of his fears that had nothing to do with facts or reality.

We receive an invaluable gift from our father and mother if we grow up feeling secure. If we do not, we will struggle to find our security throughout this life. You can find it, however, in Jesus. He will be your refuge, and he brings security to your life. Jesus introduces you to the Father who will never fail you--Your Heavenly Father!

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Soon As I Can See What God Is Doing

I don’t know about you, but I can’t count the times I have said I wish I knew what God was doing. This is our greatest challenge as Christians to trust God with our future when we don’t see how things fit together. We have to trust and wait, and that is hard to do.

I am encouraged to see that David felt the same. As a fugitive from King Saul, I should add mad King Saul. He was trying to kill David even though David had not done anything worthy of death. In fact, David had been a model soldier and son-in-law. But Saul was jealous of who David was, and he wanted that for himself but wasn’t willing to pay the price for it. David was on the run, and he was worried that his family would be targets of Saul’s death squads. So he went to the King of Moab and asked if his mother and father could say there, “until I learn what God will do for me?” (1 Sam 22:3). There is that confusion and wonder of what God is up to.

How we wish God would tell us—show us—anything, just let me know God. David, however, shows that he is confident that God will show him in time. Notice the phrase “until I learn what God will do for me.” He didn’t know, but he believed that he would learn, and even then, God was at work teaching him.

Though David was uncertain about “what God will do for me.” He was confident that God would take care of him and that His purpose would be fulfilled, but he did not know how. In this Psalm written during this time, he states: “I cry out to God Most High, to God, who vindicates me” (Ps 57:2). David says God has a purpose for my life, and I will one day see it.

David’s outlook will help all of us. To believe that God is working out his purpose in our lives when it doesn’t feel like it is to put our faith to work.