What relationships are the most important in your life right now? Think for a moment of persons closest to you that you enjoy fellowship with on a regular basis, those with whom you laugh, cry, and pray - people you love with all your heart. Now tell me, how would you feel if those relationships ever turned sour? A good relationship gone bad has a startling effect, reminiscent of biting into bitter, unripe grapes, putting your teeth on edge and leaving a bad taste in your mouth. There is the appearance of sweetness but none at hand when put to the test. It has been said that sometimes smiles are more dangerous than frowns, and I agree! As a child of God, who is likely to rejoice if you stumble? Perhaps it would be troubling to you and I today to know the number of unsuspecting persons who actually secretly yearn for our misfortunes. Let’s turn to 2 Samuel 16 5-14 for more insight concerning this sensitive subject…
2 Samuel 16:5-7 (KJV)
And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of
the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera:
he came forth, and cursed still as he came. [6] And he cast stones at
David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all
the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. [7] And thus said
Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man
of Belial: [8] The Lord hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house
of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the Lord hath delivered
the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken
in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.
Shimei appeared on the scene in David's life during the time of the greatest trials of the king of Israel. As David’s entourage passed his way, Shimei made for the direction of David with hate in his heart and curses on his lips. With every step, Shimei filled the air with his open criticisms, accusations, and curses against the king, actually condemning him for being of the devil. Calling David a bloody man was truly an unjust charge because David had not attained his kingdom from Saul by means of bloodshed, nor had he taken vengeance as those in power usually did. David instead returned good for evil and exhibited a Christ-like spirit for the surviving members of Saul's house. Yet, here was Shimei, embittered at the king’s power, hurling stones at David and his servants in a relentless fashion as he loitered nearby. This outraged member of Saul’s household paid no mind to the risky situation in which his resentment had positioned him, for all David’s mighty men stood before Shimei, surrounding their king! It’s no fun to be in a crowd that involves a heckler, amen? The sight of the angry, raving, white-haired man, as he walked along the side of the hill above David and cursed the silent man of God, is one of the most vivid, impressive, and significant pictures in the Old Testament. Yet, it is a scene that is repeated in the lives of many of God’s people even in this day and age!
Those of you who are involved in the ministry might know what I am talking about. There you are trying to do a work for the Lord and a stone thrower or two shows up on the scene with several unrestricted curses intended just for you. Nonetheless, we must proceed on our course in spite of individuals who draw near in persistent opposition, notwithstanding their publicly delivered, caustic comments. This is often the behavior of folks who refuse to unite with the church because of the alleged inconsistency of church members. In this story David and his servants are pelted, and so it is in Bible preaching churches today as characters like Shimei target the pastor and every one of his sheep for some reason or another. They set themselves up as critics and can tell you precisely how a Christian ought to live, and even how the preacher should behave, while they themselves ignore the very commands God has for them during their stone throwing sessions! Nevertheless, we need not concern ourselves with the curses of man if God has not cursed us…
Psalm 109:28 (KJV)
Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed;
but let thy servant rejoice.
Though men and women fall into this habit frequently, it is not wise to take one person’s version of events at face value without hearing the other side. From Shimei we learn about the trouble with human judgment is that prejudice leads to downright injustice and cold-blooded cruelty! Curses of this same nature were hurled at our Savior as well as His disciples and some will be thrown your way too from time to time. Are you prepared for conflict in some of your most intimate relationships? Many of God's people are walking this rough road of persecution… Godly women are ill treated by unsaved husbands for their devotion to Christ and the church. Christian students are mocked by their peers when they would pray in a public setting. Faithful followers of Jesus are branded and labeled as vile offenders, their very character being attacked on a regular basis, oftentimes by the dearest members of family and closest of friends. Yes, those we love and even live with may become our executioners…
Matthew 10:36 (KJV)
And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
“Mud flinging” as it is usually referred to, and stone throwing, begins with a critical attitude of heart as the starting point for destructive behavior. Ladies, I think we would all agree that scandal or slander is human judgment turned to sour grapes, amen? Stone throwing is criticism grown and changed into a devilish anger and hate. The rock-flinger not only has malice, but murder in his heart! Having harbored ill feelings for quite some time, Shimei was actually pleased with the misfortune of David and the current trouble he was having with his own son Absalom. The spirit of Shimei is plainly evidenced not only in the stones he threw, but also in his casting of dust, and hurling of accusations at the exiled King David. It’s obvious the action he took was not to help David, but to injure him! Notice that Shimei taunted David to “Come out, Come out”, and then branded him with a few names of his own choosing. That clearly sounds like a man who is trying to stir things up and cause some damage, amen? Ladies, critical analysis should always be rooted in love and truth. If we feel we must admonish someone, we must be sure we are confronting that person because of genuine concern for his or her well-being, not because we are infuriated, indignant, or seeking to place blame.
Luke 17:3 (KJV)
Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke
him; and if he repent, forgive him.
When you pick up a stone to throw it that is proof that you have already decided not to forgive! You are unwilling in your heart to work things out for the glory of God. Now let's understand up front that to rebuke means to bring sin to a person’s attention with the purpose of restoring him or her to God and to others. When you do feel you must address another Christian for a sin, check your attitude before you speak. Do you love the person? Are you willing to forgive? Unless rebuke is tied to forgiveness, it will not help the sinning person, and will most definitely hurt you as well! You don't have any stones in your hand today do you, dear lady? Have you been kicking up the dust in the eyes of an individual who infuriates you? If so, be ready always to forgive, leaving room for repentance and restoration.
2 Samuel 16: 9-13 (KJV)
[9] Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this
dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take
off his head. [10] And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons
of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse
David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? [11] And David
said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth
of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do
it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him. [12]
It may be that the Lord will look on mine affliction, and that the Lord
will requite me good for his cursing this day. [13] And as David and his
men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill's side over against
him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.
In the face of constant cursing, Abishai made a proposal to David to let him take Shimei’s head off. He’d had enough of the man’s insolent behavior and thought Shimei nothing more than a dead dog. Would that have been your plan for rectifying the situation? What was the king’s reaction to one such as Shimei coming into his life at such a trying time? Surprisingly, Abishai and David’s view of the same situation differed radically! We find that David took the abuse quite well and counseled Abishai to let him alone. He accepted the stone throwing of Shimei from a sense of his own personal unworthiness before God. Guiltless of what Shimei accused him of, and undeserving of this ill treatment from such a man, yet the king doubtless remembered his own heart's defections and life failures that only God knew, and so remained humble in his own sight. David said let the stones come, let the dust be cast, and the abuse be hurled at me – there is something for me to learn and ways that I can grow. Instead of the immediate death of his heckler, David hoped for a different outcome. He trusted that God would accept his patient submission and requite him a blessing for the stony treatment of that day! Ladies, how do we react to the unfair accusations, criticisms, and curses that are hurled at us by others, even loved ones?? Is it with good grace or with a few stones of our own? Not every curse requires a human response. Individuals like Shimei cannot be reasoned with! (Pr. 9:8) Would you prefer to vindicate yourself or to be vindicated by God in due time? Do you have faith enough to let God step in when He deems it necessary and set things right? Our belief in the Lord should enable us to respond with discretion to our foes.
Proverbs 19:11 (KJV)
The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass
over a transgression.
God has servants and followers today who feel that other believers as well as lost people have done them gross injustice and wrong repeatedly, yet accept the false judgment and accusations in silence. They know that if perfect justice was administered by a Holy God on all - then the whole race of man would deserved to be stoned to death! If we maintained the proper perspective of God and ourselves, we could react properly to the ugly, annoying behavior of unteachable persons, and accept it as quietly and humbly as David did… He believed God would bring him out of his affliction – do you? To what critic in your life would you like to learn to respond with patience and faith in God?
2 Samuel 16:14 (KJV)
And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed
themselves there.
As unbelievable as it may seem, the Bible goes on to say that David and his men actually found refreshment for their weary souls at the very place where they were being persecuted! Imagine finding peace just a stone’s throw away from your heckler. As the account unfolds, the exiled king got back to his throne and lived a long time after this occurrence in peace, plenty, and happiness! 2 Samuel 19:16-23 shows that the man who cast rocks at him on the hillside petitioned King David later for his life, and had it granted by the man he had wronged. Ladies, human missiles sent our way may seem to fly thick at times, but they will not destroy us. The dust of misrepresentation will soon settle and the true servant of God will prevail!
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
Revised 2004
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