1 Chronicles 19:2-4 - David thought, "I will show kindness to
Hanun son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me." So David
sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father. When
David's men came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites to express sympathy to
him, the Ammonite nobles said to Hanun,
"Do you think David is honoring your father by sending men to you to
express sympathy? Haven't his men come to you to explore and spy out
the country and overthrow it?" So
Hanun seized David's men, shaved them, cut off their garments in the middle at
the buttocks, and sent them away.
David had spent some years in an alliance with Hanun’s
father…so when he died …he wanted to send his sympathy…and let the son know
that the alliance was still valid. But David’s
message of sympathy was never accepted…for the nobles that surrounded Hanun…spoke
ill of David’s intentions…and convinced Hanun that these men came to spy out
the land…and get battle information…so David could come back later and take his
kingdom for himself.
It cost Hanun his kingdom….ironically a self-fulfilling
prophecy...because he accepted the words of his nobles over the evidence of his
father’s friendship with a neighboring king. David only went to battle to save
the face of his messengers…who had been so embarrassed by the carefully chosen
tactics of Hanun. The shaved beards…and cut robes that exposed their nakedness…was
more than they could bear….and they had to live in a strange town until their beards
grew back.
Why is it… the human side of us wants to think the worst of
people? I know that we live in a world
of crazy….and some of that crazy is really scary…and we worry. But that tendency to be afraid of any more crazy makes us doubt anything good. We become like Hanun’s nobles…and second
guess even the good intentions of those around us.
Maybe this story is placed in the Bible to remind us that
sometimes…we really need to believe people at face value…and to trust others
the way God trusts us. I mean think about it…how many times have you made a
promise to God in a dark time...then renege on it…..let go of that promise…
when it life got easier. God sure didn’t take his love back from us….just
because we did not keep out side of the bargain. God loves us no matter what….and takes us
right back when we realize our sin…he trusts us to do his will….and gives us
free choice to follow him.
What’s more…is that God will chase after us…like Jonah…till
we get it right. Or sometimes he places
a burning bush in front of us…like Moses…to get our attention. And other times still…he takes our sight….and
speaks to us from the sky….like Paul…until we realize what God really wants
from our life. God gives us opportunity after opportunity to come back to his
love and serve him like we promised that first day we gave our hearts to him…he
never leaves us alone…he walks with us …even when we don’t ask him too.
Father…I thank you for this story that reminds me that your
trust of me...requires me to trust others more.
Help me to believe the best in people instead of the worst. Guide my heart to trust others more…and build
a trust in them like you have trusted me. Forgive me for the many times I have
thought the worst of someone…and missed a blessing from being their
friend. Give me new eyes to discern the
tricks satan lays before me ...to keep me from trusting others. Amen.
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