A Father’s Dilemma

We often wish to see the best in those we love, even when they’re unrepentant.   #daybydaylw   Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   Conflict—2 Samuel 18:4-5 “And the king ordered Joab and Abishai, and Ittai, ‘Deal gently (softly, warmly, soothingly) for my sake with the young man Absalom.’ And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders about about Absalom.” The idea behind “dealing gently” is to deal softly, warmly, soothingly. Is this a statement that sounds worthy of Absalom? Absalom, the one who took matters into his own hands, shirking the law of God, and murdering his half-brother Amnon. Absalom, the one who grew impatient with Joab, and burned his fields to get his attention. Absalom, the one who worked with subtlety and secrecy, fooling the men of Israel into thinking that he was a better judge a better manager, and would make a better king than his father David. Absalom, the one who blew the trumpet and announced war upon David. Does this statement made by David sound like the statement a King would make regarding an enemy, a threat to his kingdom? No! It doesn’t sound like that at all! But does this statement sound like a statement that a father would make towards a son? Yes. Yes it does. David desires gentleness rather than justice. David’s love for his son overwhelms his sensibility, and his hope or wishes for his son cloud his thinking and lead to his passivity . And this is the conflict—David’s earthly fatherly desire versus what his role as the anointed king and doing what is best for the kingdom of God. I am sure we can identify with this, especially those of you who are parents. You want to believe the best about your kids. You want to believe that they have the best intentions. You want to believe that they are coming to their senses even as we speak and that they do not intend to bring harm on anyone, that they are just a little off course and if you could just love them a little more, and if people would join you in dealing gently with them, then they would turn things around. He or she just need more time, more space, more understanding. But we haven’t seen any repentance on the part of Absalom, have we? We haven’t seen any remorse in his words or actions. We have not seen any indication that there is a positive movement towards holiness. We have only seen Absalom operate according to his own agenda and the pursuit of his own kingdom, his own selfishness. We have only seen a pushing from one extreme to the next in the pursuit of his desires. So this is the tension. What will happen in regards to these instructions by King David, father of Absalom.   As we keep reading this story, the next set of verses gives us the summary of the battle that took place. Three verses. No details except that the battle took place in the forest, and the forest’s terrain was responsible for more of the victory given to King David’s side than the actual soldiers. It is a short battle scene. The battle/war is not important. What is important is what happens to Absalom. So what happens? Come back tomorrow to find out, or read for yourself in 2 Samuel 18.