TEXT TO READ
2 SAMUEL 8, 9; PROVERBS 24
TEXT FOR REFLECTION
3 And the king said, “Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.” 7 And David said to him, “Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always.” 8 And he paid homage and said, “What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?” 2 SAMUEL 9:3, 7-8
REFLECT
David was now king. King Saul, Jonathan, and all of King Saul's sons had been killed in battle, and his armies routed by the Philistines. Saul's kingdom had come to an end. David had in turn reclaimed the lands taken by the Philistines and pushed the Philistines back. He was now the undisputed ruler of Judah. One of David's first acts as he came into his kingdom was to seek out survivors of Saul's descendants. His men brought forth Saul's servant Ziba, who then revealed that one of Jonathan's sons, Mephibosheth, a young man who was crippled on both feet, was still alive. David called for him and returned to him all the land that had belonged to his grandfather King Saul, made arrangements for the land to be cultivated to provide an income for Mephibosheth, and then promised him that he would eat at David's table and be as one of David's children for the rest of his life. David did this out of love and gratitude to Mephibosheth's late father Jonathan.
David did this very private act purely out of love for his best friend. There was nothing strategic about it; he would gain nothing by showing such grace to Mephibosheth, nor would he lose anything if he simply ignored Mephibosheth. In fact, God had already declared that Saul's lineage was ended. David could altogether disregard him. Furthermore, Mephibosheth was a liability. He was a cripple (the text emphasizes that he was crippled on both feet) and presumably had to be carried wherever he went.
RELATE
We live in an increasingly utilitarian society. Or perhaps we have always been utilitarian. We use people when they are useful to us and have little time for the 'useless' ones. When we help someone, we often ask ourselves, "will he at some future time return the favour?", "will she be useful to me, my work, or even my ministry?" Sometimes we even couch our considerations in very spiritual terms, "does he have ministry potential?" We ask this question when we need to decide how much we should help a person. A term that was first used as business or investment language "What are the returns on investment (roi)" has now become common even in Christian conversations. We calculate if helping a person or a group of people will bring in certain returns. We are sometimes even more subtle. We think to ourselves, "If we helped this group of people, perhaps more people will join us and support us financially," or "perhaps the authorities will notice our work and give us favour". Or perhaps the boss will notice my kindness and reward me. A lot of times when we help someone, we think strategically of what returns we will have when we do so.
The reverse is true as well. When we consider not helping someone, we first ascertain if the hardness of our hearts will rebound on our heads. We ask, "will he give us a taste of our own medicine when the circumstances are reversed?", or "will others notice my failure to help?" Hardly will we simply help another knowing that there is absolutely no benefit to us if we helped, and no adverse results if we failed to help.
This is where King David's character stands out. He treated with much grace a crippled young grandson of the man who sought to kill him. And all because he loved the young man's father. There was a certain purity in David's heart. He had no strategic reason to care for Mephibosheth. He did so out of love.
This is something we have to ask ourselves again and again. Are we 'strategic' in our motives to help another? Or do care for another simply because it is right, or simply because we love, or simply because God wants us to do so? Do we need an 'incentive' to help another, or is love a good enough reason to care?
I look for this quality in a leader: that he cares for another regardless of their usefulness to the leader's cause. This is why I worship my Lord Jesus Christ. He has no 'strategic' reason to love the worst of sinners, or the blind or the crippled. He loves because His Father loves us. I have the assurance that I will not be discarded when my usefulness runs out. I need not be talented or rich or smart or useful to God to be loved by Him. Jesus loves me simply because the Father loves me, and I belong to my heavenly Father. Regardless of how crippled I am.
REST
Father, thank you that we need not work to deserve your love or your favour. Thank you that you simply love us, with no conditions, and regardless of how useful we are to you. Help us then to love those around us who are of little use to us, the mentally and physically handicapped, and the ones whose spirits have been broken by their circumstances. And help us to not look for any benefits in helping them, other than that they belong to you. We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
CML
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