The Planet of Cham

 This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm the king—he is the Lord’s anointed one.’  Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me.

  “May the Lord judge between us. Perhaps the Lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you. (1 Samuel 24:10-12)

David had all the right to dispose of his friend/king/foe. His bro's were telling him to do it. His mind probably thought about it. I meant what a great opportunity to seek out justices and revenge by his own hand. To savor the agony that Saul would go through. I mean, Saul was wanting to kill him for no reason...no real reason. David, on the other hand, responded differently. He didn't seek justice. Instead, he sought after forgiveness because he knew that nothing good would come from him seeking his own vendetta. So, his actions showed forgiveness. It revealed his heart in the midst of the opportunity to feed his hunger for revenge. In fact, he does something that most people (i think) struggle with doing. He laid it in the hands of the ONE who will measure out the entire situation with fairness and righteousness. The end result, David went to become king and Saul was righteously judged by God and eventually lost his life.

We walk through these situations often. Maybe death is not threatening us, but hurt or injustice is. So how do we respond. Do we fire back and seek our own justice out of our own will OR do we show our heart and the integrity of our relationship with God and allow Him to take control over the situation. The first seems to be the best choice in the midst of distress or emotions, but it ends in destruction and more problems. The other brings us closer to the One who protects us because He loves us. The other displays who God is to others who expect the first. The other brings us to a place where we could never imagine for our good. So..stop and think. 

Much love,

cham