Seeking and Giving Forgiveness

 DEVOTION

2^ND SAMUEL

SEEKING AND GIVING FORGIVENESS

2 Sam 14:1-8

14:1 Joab son of Zeruiah knew that the king's heart longed for Absalom. 2 So Joab sent someone to Tekoa and had a wise woman brought from there. He said to her, "Pretend you are in mourning. Dress in mourning clothes, and don't use any cosmetic lotions. Act like a woman who has spent many days grieving for the dead. 3 Then go to the king and speak these words to him." And Joab put the words in her mouth. 4 When the woman from Tekoa went to the king, she fell with her face to the ground to pay him honor, and she said, "Help me, O king!" 5 The king asked her, "What is troubling you?" She said, "I am indeed a widow; my husband is dead. 6 I your servant had two sons. They got into a fight with each other in the field, and no one was there to separate them. One struck the other and killed him. 7 Now the whole clan has risen up against your servant; they say, 'Hand over the one who struck his brother down, so that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed; then we will get rid of the heir as well.' They would put out the only burning coal I have left, leaving my husband neither name nor descendant on the face of the earth." 8 The king said to the woman, "Go home, and I will issue an order in your behalf."

NIV

Joab is a wise servant of King David, as well as knowing all that goes on in the kingdom of Israel, especially in regards to the family of the king. He has set up a scenario that will cause David to make a proper judgment for the woman, but in essence, for his own situation with his son Absalom. Of course, that will be the rest of the story, yet we still have a lesson to learn from this portion. Although this is just a ploy to get David to see the story is about him and his son Absalom, who had his brother Amnon killed because he had disgraced his sister Tamar. From the previous verses about David wanting to console Absalom, we wonder if the Hebrew word, because of the negative application, did not mean, he wanted to avenge himself against Absalom, and that is why Joab set up this ruse to get David to see the truth about himself. Nevertheless, the lesson is still about forgiveness rather than revenge. This does not, or should not, set aside justice for a crime of murder, but then Jesus taught that to hate another faces judgment just as someone who killed another. Could we then say that if we harbor any kind of anger or hatred toward another, forfeiting the opportunity to forgive, we are in danger of judgment on that final day? Does this coincide with when Jesus said to those who professed they did so much in his name, that he never knew them? How can a believer say they love the Lord and not forgive? Jesus made it clear that if we do not forgive, we will not be forgiven, and if we are not forgiven, then we are in danger of judgment and  of the fires of hell. Strong language, but truth, so we must always be in a constant state of forgiveness, which also means living humbly before our Lord and others. It is when we think more about ourselves, our being hurt, our feelings being offended, that we are thinking more highly of ourselves than we should, then either unforgiveness or revengefulness starts to creep in. Let us always seek forgiveness and give forgiveness.