One Year Bible: May 30

“My own son is trying to kill me. Doesn’t this relative of Saul have even more reason to do so? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to do it. And perhaps the Lord will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today.”

2 Samuel 16:11-12

To read today’s portion of scripture, you can purchase The One Year Bible or find the following in your Bible:

2 Samuel 15:23-16:23
John 18:25-19:22
Psalm 119:113-128
Proverbs 16:10-11

I’m both fascinated and challenged by David’s reaction to the hateful treatment he received from Shimei. Because most of us probably wouldn’t react that way. Our usual response when we’re being attacked is to attack right back and defend ourselves.

But David was somehow able to squelch those very human impulses and take a bigger view of his situation. If his God is on the throne, and his God is sovereign and omniscient, then maybe his God has allowed this. And maybe his God will bless him for taking one on the chin without striking back.

From the first time we see David as a young boy filling his pockets with five small stones before he goes out to face one very big giant, we’ve seen this same belief system. “God is with me; God will fight for me.” And even though David fell in a big way with Bathsheba, and committed murder against Uriah, he got back up and got back to the relationship he had had with God.

It may be that it’s that getting-back-up nature of David that gave him the title of “a man after God’s own heart.” Scripture tells us that, “A righteous man falls seven times, and rises again, but the wicked stumble in time of calamity” (Proverbs 24:16).

David rose up after each fall and each setback. It’s that attitude that somehow gave him the restraint to ignore Shimei. And he was right: God did bless him — over and over.