Gospel Prism

The story of David’s defeat of the Amalekites in 1 Samuel 30 is prototypical of David’s commitment and passion to God. It is every reason why David is a man after God’s own heart. David sets out with 600 men to face what is probably a much greater force. Two hundred of these men are worn out and so David leaves them behind and takes what is left of his force. He overtakes the Amalekites and defeats them and with it comes all of their spoils. Of course, when David returns to the 200 men, some of his fighting force says:

“Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children, and depart.” (1 Samuel 30:22)

That seems to make a sense to me in a very human sort of way. If you don’t put in the time, you don’t deserve to be rewarded. After all, it was they who risked their lives in fighting these battles. People today get extremely angered for not being rewarded for their work. How much more should one be angered when one puts his life on the line and is not rewarded?

But David’s answer typifies his understanding of God, His provisions, and David’s victories and resources. David says,

“You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us. He has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us. 24Who would listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down into the battle, so shall his share be who stays by the baggage. They shall share alike.�

David sees the victory as the Lord’s, not David’s. In other words, without God, these men would have had no chance against the Amalekites. But because God was there, David succeeded. Some will read this story and say, “Surely, it was David’s leadership skills, work, charisma, battle strategies that won the day.� No doubt, David had some abilities. But ability in God’s world is a hapless blunder apart from God Himself. And David recognized this. He knew that God gave him the victory and therefore, the spoils must be viewed in light of that perspective.

What a stark contrast to the way in which we view our own resources. I am not just talking about the resources of money, but also skills and intellect. I was reading in Time how more studies are done on the value of homework, and how children are continuing to do more homework and there are less returns for such an increase. Parents think that to do more homework means higher test scores. Now the article didn’t make this point, but I began to wonder, “Why do parents (and I am one of them) want higher test scores?� The answer is that my children can get in the best of schools. And so the next question is, “Why do my children need to get into the best of schools?� And the answer to that question is so that they could get a good job (which often means being some sort of professional). Then comes the next question, “Why do they need to get that particular type of job?� And the answer is usually so that they could get more resources (money, comforts, intelligence). The reason why these resources are so critical is to have such resources means that you become someone important, some worthwhile, someone to be respected. You can hang your head high and say that you have made it.

I am not advocating laziness in education and ignorance. Nor do I think that to go to a good school to get a good job is in any way sinful. But the human heart is deceitful and for the person who has been given such a task from the Lord, much will be required of him (in terms of a humble heart and a broken spirit).

David was a shepherd boy and yet we often see him more as a king. We must remember that at heart David was always that same shepherd boy who killed lions and bears (and giants) because he believed what he said when he confronted Goliath:

You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, 47and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give you into our hand.” (1 Samuel 17:45-47)

David’s view of God was so grand that nothing, not even his own abilities, really mattered when living the life he lived. He truly believed God was Lord over all. How humbling it is to see a person who believed God and believed God could do anything. Even his abilities and resources were always in view of God and His fame and renown.

Too many of us live for resources. And we place resources above our God, essentially making them into idols. They have become our gods. “Once I obtain the status of…, then I will be successful.� “Once I get that new house, then everything will be fine and dandy.� I wish more of us would see that the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it. But not only would we see it, but we would believe it, and we would live as though we believed it. And yes, I speak for myself in this.