As for me, I keep one question to how each keeps a committed heart, as we see with David. For the answer to David's commitment was continuing no matter the transgression, the peril, the personal loss, what he started as a young boy caring for sheep, he continued to carry a strong core belief and trust that God was with him. He ended up king over millions of people.
I bring you to David and his heart for others!
In 2 Samuel 9, we find David asking about anyone who was left of the house of Saul.
2 Samuel 9...........9:1 Now David said, "Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?" 2 And there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba. So when they had called him to David, the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" And he said, "At your service!" 3 Then the king said, "Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, to whom I may show the kindness of God?" And Ziba said to the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan who is lame in his feet." 4 So the king said to him, "Where is he?" And Ziba said to the king, "Indeed he is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, in Lo Debar."
5 Then King David sent and brought him out of the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo Debar. 6 Now when Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, had come to David, he fell on his face and prostrated himself. Then David said, "Mephibosheth?" And he answered, "Here is your servant!" 7 So David said to him, "Do not fear, for I will surely show you kindness for Jonathan your father's sake, and will restore to you all the land of Saul your grandfather; and you shall eat bread at my table continually." 8 Then he bowed himself, and said, "What is your servant, that you should look upon such a dead dog as I?"
9 And the king called to Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "I have given to your master's son all that belonged to Saul and to all his house. 10 You therefore, and your sons and your servants, shall work the land for him, and you shall bring in the harvest, that your master's son may have food to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's son shall eat bread at my table always." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. 11 Then Ziba said to the king, "According to all that my lord the king has commanded his servant, so will your servant do." "As for Mephibosheth," said the king, "he shall eat at my table like one of the king's sons." 12 Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Micha. And all who dwelt in the house of Ziba were servants of Mephibosheth. 13 So Mephibosheth dwelt in Jerusalem, for he ate continually at the king's table. And he was lame in both his feet. NKJV
aaaah.......but now we have a Ziba added to the mix! It is in the verses of 2-11 that we find Ziba. And he appears to be willing to be at David's service. But when we continue to read in 2 Samuel 16:1-4, we find some wickedness in Ziba.
2 Samuel 16:1-4.............16:1 When David was a little past the top of the mountain, there was Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth, who met him with a couple of saddled donkeys, and on them two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred clusters of raisins, one hundred summer fruits, and a skin of wine. 2 And the king said to Ziba, "What do you mean to do with these?" So Ziba said, "The donkeys are for the king's household to ride on, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine for those who are faint in the wilderness to drink." 3 Then the king said, "And where is your master's son?" And Ziba said to the king, "Indeed he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, 'Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.' " 4 So the king said to Ziba, "Here, all that belongs to Mephibosheth is yours." And Ziba said, "I humbly bow before you, that I may find favor in your sight, my lord, O king!" NKJV
Ziba had planned evil, and put Mephibosheth in the middle of that evil. Ziba told David that this crippled son of Jonathan had planned to see the kingdom of Saul return to him. We find in all this, first, David did not find out the truth to all of this that Ziba was speaking. And in second place, David gave all that was suppose to be Mephibosheth's is now in Ziba's family. Yes, David acted too quickly without finding the truth about what was being spoken about, and that was believing that Mephibosheth was wanting the kingdom. With the uprising of Absalom and his men, David believed the best place for him at the time was to leave Jerusalem. It was at that time, Ziba schemed to take supplies out to David and those who were with him. But when asked where Mephibosheth was, Ziba lied about Mephibosheth and that Mephibosheth wanted the kingdom and David believed that Mephibosheth was siding with Abasalom.
After much time passing and Abasalom dead, David rides back into Jerusalem to take his reign as king again. It was then that David started to find out truth. Mephibosheth had not shaved or bathed, washed his clothes nor had taken care of his feet. Mephibosheth stayed within the home and the king's table in support of David and David only.
As David asked questions, he saw Ziba's heart. He asked why Mephibosheth had not ridden out to meet him and the other men. David found that Ziba told Mephibosheth to stay back. That his going would be of no useful help to David. Mephibosheth told David how Ziba had lied to him.
Ziba now was the slanderer, the deceiver. Ziba was going to extort to get other people's possessions. The most powerful thing in all this, was that David had given kindness to the "crippled". David had compassion on other family member's of Jonathan and it helped Mephibosheth to come into a being with others, and making a difference for others, like he had seen David do for himself! No where do we find any complaint out of Mephibosheth's mouth.
Then in 2 Samuel 19:24-30, we find the fate of Ziba! David divided the land equally. Even though David found guilty of believing the lie, he gave to both in equal terms. He, David, kept to his word to Ziba though it cost David to not know the truth in the situation. And one thing was evident, Mephibosheth, was happier and grew stronger in knowing the Lord was with him. Ziba grew more bitter and unhappy. There are Ziba's who desire much possessions and will do anything to get it. There are Ziba's who plot to do evil to gain much, either because they think more possessions will make them happier or that they will gain status if other's see their wealth.
One thing to take from this, is that David could move in and out of Jerusalem and in and out of the city with those would walk with him and believe God for justice. David was content in life and that came from knowing God and having the relationship vital for a king to have.
In my own walk with the Lord, I am happy with HIM, wherever we might be and whatever we might be doing for His kingdom. Truly the Lord knows those who are His.
2 Timothy 2:19..............19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity. NKJV
Wherever you go in this life, you will always find those jockeying for a position. They will be the "Ziba" who will easily throw out innuendos. They are those who will insinuate, hint or even suggest something evil against you. But when we stand with the Lord and do His will, we know that we can stand knowing that He will see justice done for us as well as for the Ziba.
Father, just as You sent Jesus into the world, You have sent me. You are ever with me for I always seek to that which pleases YOU!
In the name of Jesus, Father thank You that we are free from the fear of man which brings a snare. Today I pray that we all would lean on You, trust in You, and put our confidence in You for we are safe and set on high. Today, You know those that are Yours, and they ever seek to please You wherever they go. I pray that You would help us to hear both sides of a story before making a decision about anything. Help us to see those who are against us and help us to hear wisdom. Like David, may we have opportunity to bless those on our pathway. I pray that we would know that we are Your chosen people, holy and dearly loved, and we clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. We will bear with others and forgive whatever grievances we may have against anyone.
Father, You are the Supreme Authority. Today we submit our will to you that we would find protection and dwell in the secret place of the Most High God. Your will be done in our lives today as it is in heaven. Amen.
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