2 Samuel
Ask.
- Have you ever experienced a relationship change where someone who was once a friend began to treat you poorly?
- Have you ever tried to confront someone who was mad at you who wouldn’t explain what had happened to change things between the two of you?
- Have you ever been anxious or sad about something when everyone else told you you should be happy or excited?
Listen.
Once he realized that Saul could not continue on as King of the Israelites, Samuel secretly anointed a boy named David. This meant that as far as God was concerned, David would be the next true king of Israel. At first, David was welcomed in Saul’s court. He was a gifted poet and musician, a war hero after killing Goliath and he even became best friends with Jonathan (Saul’s son). But jealousy soon crept into Saul’s heart. When David returned from a military operation that had seemed impossible to survive, the women sang, “Saul has slain his thousands but David has slain his tens of thousands.” Saul finally realized the threat posed by David’s popularity with the common people and began plotting to have him killed. It broke David’s hear to lose the King’s friendship. He left court with many loyal warriors and became an outlaw. A civil war broke out with each side gaining the upper hand at different points until finally Saul was killed in a battle against the Philistines. David was saddened at the loss of the men who were once his mentor (Saul) and his best friend (Jonathan). But the people rallied around him as he took the throne.
Through the prophet Nathan, God talked to David about what would happen next…
Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the Lord of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
– 2 Samuel 7:8-13 (NRSV)
When David heard all that God planned to accomplish through his reign, he was overwhelmed. In so many ways, he was still the farm boy, the son of a shepherd who had gotten caught up in events bigger than him. Yet here he was now sitting on the throne of a kingdom, instantly wealthy beyond his dreams, beloved by the people and the favored champion of his God.
Think.
- How hard to do you think it would be to stay humble with all that suddenly thrust upon David? Would you be able to handle it?
- How hard would it be to be King Saul and see how everyone stopped celebrating you and began celebrating David? How would you try to handle it in his shoes?
- Who are some public figures in our culture today (celebrities, athletes, etc.) that people like to point out have been negatively “changed” by fame or success? Do you think that’s fair?
- When David got hold of the warrior who had killed Saul, he had him executed. Then he mourned the loss of his king, even as he took his throne. How would you react to the downfall of a “frenemy” in your own life?
Remember.
Worrying about what other people are doing or saying can backfire.
Saul was not necessarily a bad king. Yes, there were some things he got wrong. But overwhelmingly he made sure in his personal life and in the life of his nation that God’s laws were obeyed. What ultimately led to his downfall was his jealousy of David – another person who was doing his best to live for God. While Saul was so fixated on stopping David, it was a battle against the Philistines that led to his death.
Pray.
Consider someone who you feel has made your life more difficult despite your feeling that they are not justified in how they feel about you. Pray for that person. Pray that God will bless them and that they will change their mind about you. Ask God to guide your words and actions toward that person to reflect your best, not your worst, thoughts about them.
More.
Youtuber Kaitlin discusses her “frenemy” from when she was in high school. Watch the video and think about what she advises. Does she get it right? What do you think? https://youtu.be/W3bI-Jmlp4Q
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