Has anyone ever hurt you, and you secretly wanted to see something happen to them in return? I know, we don’t like to admit that, but sometimes we have those thoughts. Especially if we were wrongfully accused or mistreated. While we might think it would feel good to see it happen, let’s be honest, it doesn’t. In our text today, David has just learned that Saul, Jonathan, and many of the people in Israel have died in battle. If anyone could have felt relieved that Saul was no longer alive, it was David. After all, Saul has spent a considerable amount of time pursuing David, trying to hunt him down and kill him. Now, that threat was over. David could relax. Yet, instead of rejoicing, we see a very different reaction from David. Here is David’s reaction in 2 Samuel 1:11-12, “Therefore David told hold of his own clothes and tore them, and so did all the men who were with him. And they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son, for the people of the Lord and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.” David’s heart was broken over Saul’s death. David was so upset at Saul’s death, he had the Amalekite who came and told him about Saul’s death, executed for his role in Saul’s death.
We get yet another glimpse into David’s heart and a better understanding of why David is referred to as a “man after God’s own heart.” Despite what Saul had tried to do to David and how Saul treated David, David still loved Saul and didn’t want to see something bad happen to Saul. This is the example that we are to follow. We see it even more clearly in Jesus when He was nailed to the cross. As Jesus was being nailed to the cross His first words were, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” So let me ask you, how do you react when someone hurts you or takes advantage of you? Is your first reaction, “get them Lord” or is it “forgive them Lord and help me to forgive them as well”? I know it can be difficult. I will go as far as to say, without God’s help it is impossible. Yet, we have the power of the Holy Spirit living inside of us if we are a child of God, to help us with just this sort of thing and more. Let’s remember, that our anger and desire for revenge on those who have hurt us, says more about the condition of our heart than it does about the person who hurt us. So today, let’s allow God to do a spiritual EKG and reveal the condition of our heart. If necessary, confess your sin, ask for forgiveness, and then take steps to begin forgiving the person who hurt you. In the end, you will be glad you did, and God will be glorified; that is a win-win.
By His grace and for His glory,
Pastor Justin