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During a palace coup led by King David’s son Absalom, David fled Jerusalem quickly into the wilderness. While traveling, a man named Shimei (a relative of former King Saul) came out of a village and walked alongside David and those with him …
As King David came to Bahurim, a man came out of the village cursing them. It was Shimei, son of Gera, from the same clan as Saul’s family. He threw stones at the king and the king’s officers and all the mighty warriors who surrounded him. “Get out of here, you murderer, you scoundrel!” (2 Samuel 16:5-7, NLT)
Shimei had other things to say, too…
The Lord is paying you back for all the bloodshed in Saul’s clan. You stole his throne, and now the Lord has given it to your son Absalom. At last you will taste some of your own medicine, for you are a murderer! (2 Samuel 16:8)
With the King of Judah being taunted by an angry man, those traveling with David had a simple solution, as Abishai, David’s faithful servant, said…
Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head! (2 Samuel 16:9)
David had been betrayed by some of his closest friends. Betrayal by friends hurts the most, and when our friends, especially those formerly blessed by our generosity, participate or stand by and watch, we feel like returning curse for curse, seeking revenge, or writing about it on Facebook™.
David had a “cutting off head” option for Shimei, which we don’t have, but what did he do?
“No!” the king said … “If the Lord has told him to curse me, who are you to stop him?” … “Leave him alone and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to do it. And perhaps the Lord will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today” (2 Samuel 16:11-12).
David decided to let the Lord fight his battles. Jesus taught us the same principle in the Sermon on the Mount when he said, “Bless those who curse you” (Luke 6:28). The Apostle Paul (who was constantly verbally assaulted by believers) wrote, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them” (Romans 12:14, ESV).
When we are cursed, we bless, we pray, and as Paul wrote …
If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:20-21).
The Lord allows betrayal. When we submit to not cursing and allow the Lord to defend us, we follow the example of Jesus, who became a curse for all of us. King David recognized uncleanness in his soul and accepted Shimei’s cursing as God’s work, giving his ego a good cleansing.
Before we take the “head cutting off” option with those who betray us or with those who frustrate us, let’s remember the blood of Jesus that cleansed us.
Years back, during a financial difficulty at the church where I was the Senior Pastor, a congregant came up to me and told me blatantly what he/she thought. It was an outburst with innuendos, accusations, and threats. I wanted to return outburst for outburst, but didn’t, and when the congregant left the church a few months later, I wanted to call and give him/her a blatant piece of my mind.
But I didn’t, and I’m glad that I didn’t. It took a while for my anger to subside, but it would have taken a lot longer and perhaps never, if I had succumbed to this “head cutting off” temptation.
Amen and Amen!
I’ve not tasted or known betrayal to the extent that you have but having my ex betray me by leaving me for another and walking out when our daughter was 5 weeks old counts. Other times too. 5 to be exact…I am hard headed. But God… In His kindness and grace has put a heart of flesh in me, not bitterness. And for that I am grateful.