A HUMBLE KING

In 2 Samuel 16:10, the Lord tells us through David the king, "If Shimei is cursing me because the Lord has told him to, then who are you to tell him to stop?"


David, on his way to Jerusalem to be crowned king, runs into some opposition.  Shimei, a favorite of  the now dead king Saul and a supporter of David's eldest son, Absalom, cursed David to extremes, saying, "The Lord has avenged on all of you the blood of the House of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has given the kingdom into the hand of your son, Absalom."


David's answer to his friends who wanted to kill Shimei was, "Let him alone and let him curse; for the Lord has bidden him.  It may be that the Lord will look on my distress, and the Lord will repay me with good for this cursing of me today."  And on they went.


Shimei is an unhappy man.  He held back forgiveness from David and it spiraled into bitterness and corroded his spirit.  David knows his own failures and sinfulness, but he admits them to  God and humbly says, in essence, "God may want to punish me for my sins so don't harm Shimei.  Let God have His way."


Oh, there are lessons to be learned reading the Scripture!  Lord God, may I learn to be humble, always recognize my sinfulness, and have pity on those who may desire to remind me of my sins.  Amen.


(Although this prayer was originally prayed long ago, I see today that I am still in need of it!  Thank you, God for revealing this to me.)


Jo INMN