The Schemes Of Man Hurt The People Of God

Our sins do not only affect ourselves, but the people around us. #daybydaylw Interested in learning more about becoming a devoted follower of Christ? Go to follow.lifeword.org!   ~~~   A minor chord that is struck in 2 Samuel 3 is that the people of God get hurt when the schemes of man are preferred and executed over the plans of God. I say this because we have the listing of some names at the beginning of the chapter, and also an odd character about halfway through. We are given the names of David’s wives and his sons, and this serves as a bit of foreshadowing for what is to come. This won’t be the last time we read of Absalom and Adonijah. They will make a return to the story, and they grow up to be bitter, bitter men. We are also told Michal’s husband Paltiel, who came home one day to find that Ish-bosheth’s goons had come to remove Michal from her home and take her to David. Our text tells us that Paltiel followed Michal for a great distance, weeping as he went, at the thought of losing his wife. Remember, these were real people. These events really happened. And Paltiel is truly heartbroken. It does seem like he is losing the love of his life. She is being ripped from him, all for David to score some political points and favor with the people. Hear me clearly, the sins of man do not thwart the plans of God, but our scheming, living in our own wisdom and strength, chasing our own agendas, exalting ourselves, never happens in a vacuum. It always hurts other people. Men, you think your porn addiction that you think happens in secrecy isn’t affecting your marriage, you are dead wrong. Wives, you think your cutting remarks that you think are witty isn’t having an affect on your family, you are wrong. Our sin and scheming is like a pipe bomb filled with nails that leaves a devastating impact far and wide.