2nd Samuel chapter 1.
The news and death of Saul and Jonathan is presented to David by an Amelekite man.
I'm drawing my own conclusion that this man was all about looking good before David in hopes of getting a reward. It doesn't say this, but I can't help but wonder if he wasn't the first man to arrive and find Saul dead. As a result he grabbed his crown and his hand band for selfish reasons. Then he decided if he took it to David he could be honored and rewarded by David.
People want to look good versus trying to work as a team so we help each other look good. I'm finding the more I help others look good that it results in me naturally looking good. If we could all focus more on others, I feel we'd have a better place to live and we'd have a higher respect for each other which would motivate us to love and respect each other ALL the more. Once we get caught up in self and focusing on self we lose respect and love for others. Then people end up feeling not valuable and feeling insignificant and are treated as such.
Lord, help me to Value myself the way you value me. Then help me to help others see how valuable they are. Help me to treat them as being very valuable so that it becomes about them and not about me.
I’m certain that the Amalekite man who brought the news of the death of Saul and Jonathan didn’t expect that David was going to have him killed. He probably thought the news would have pleased David and that there would have been something that he would have gained from delivering it. He was wrong. It reminds me of what we read in Proverbs 14:12 and Proverbs 16:25.
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”
Since today is the beginning of the next book of the Bible, I’m sharing a few ApologetiX parodies that go along with 2 Samuel. I hope that you enjoy them.
Dancing with the Ark is a parody of Dancing in the Dark.
https://youtu.be/CVP2xQ2gov4
Dancing Dave is a parody of Dancing Days.
https://youtu.be/GQjeWrgqbbA
Enemy Lines is a parody of Ebony Eyes.
https://youtu.be/DM6iaTFmBAc
I found one more song that goes with 2 Samuel. It was produced earlier this year and I almost missed including it.
Mephibosheth is a parody of The B**** Is Back.
https://youtu.be/zKhmIOcXnI8
David had this wonderful ability to see the things that were excellent in Saul and look beyond him as simply an enemy. So much so that he wrote a song to be added to the book of Jasher which was a book of poems commemorating Israel’s wars and the men who fought in them. Wow! Is this something I could do for a person who chased me and wanted me dead?
In Philippians 1:10, Paul says we are all to look for the excellence in others. He goes on to say in Philippians 2:3 that we are to esteem others as better than ourselves. Why? Because it’s true. Everyone I meet can do something better than I can.
Lord, thank you for these humbling reminders. You created all of us in Your image. We each have a contribution to make. Let me follow the path you have created for me in contributing to Your Kingdom.
Jeanine, I love the comment you made about David having the ability to see the wonderful things in Saul, despite being his enemy and wanting to kill him. This is difficult for me, because when I have someone who is against me it is very difficult for me to see the good in them.
I also love the other points made about supporting others and giving credit to people who deserve before we take the credit ourselves. To hold others above ourselves is to honor God. I pray we can all work on honoring others, even our enemies.