Reward good for evil…

1 Sam.24:17, ‘ Then he said to David: “You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil. ‘ 

David was anointed by the Lord to be the king. Yet he had to wait for few years till he actually sat on the throne. All through this time, he was a victim of  jealousy and hatred of Saul. David was literally chased for his life was in danger. Javelin was cast towards him twice with an intent to kill him, but he escaped. He was hungry and had to plead for hallowed bread from the priest. He fled for his life to the king of Gath. There too, when he saw that he was recognized, he acted weird and out of mind. He wandered from place to place and dwelt in wilderness, strongholds and  mountains. Saul sought his life everyday but God did not deliver David into his hands. At every juncture, he sought God’s will and acted accordingly.

A time came when Saul happened to rest in a cave, and David and his men were in the sides of the same cave (1 Samuel 24). The so called ‘golden opportunity’ was in David’s hand. He could finish off the life who had victimized him with fear since years. Yet David did not take up the case in his hands. He called Saul the ‘Lord’s anointed’ and refused to stretch his hands against him. Instead, he cut off a piece of Saul’s skirt and waited till Saul woke up and left the cave. Lets ponder at all those gestures of David towards Saul and learn from same.

1 Sam.24:8, “David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, saying, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed down.” David stooped with his face down. This is a gesture usually done before a king. David stooped before Saul, who was after his life. He called Saul, ‘my Lord the king’. Though the Spirit of God had departed from Saul, David still considered him king and ‘the Lord’s anointed’. David showered respect and love upon Saul in return of vengeance, jealousy and hatred .

1 Sam. 24:9, ‘And David said to Saul: “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Indeed David seeks your harm’?’ David tried to convince Saul about the lie in the words of men spoken against David’s intentions. As a proof, he showed the piece of Saul’s skirt cut off when he was in the cave. He told Saul that though he cut the piece of skirt, he did not kill him. His actions were in unity with his intentions. Its easy to preach about forgiveness but hard to practice it diligently. David preached forgiveness through his actions and words.

1 Sam.24:14, “After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea?” David called Saul as the king of Israel and himself as ‘a dead dog’ and ‘a flea’. He chose to consider Saul who hated him, higher than himself. This attitude helps us to forgive those who hurt us. Phil.2:3,“ Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” Esteeming others better than oneself is an act of humbleness. Especially when we consider the ones hurting us above ourselves, it involves a willful action, that crucifies revengeful acts that might arise in our fleshy mind. This attitude delivers us from self centeredness. Unforgiveness is an act of self centeredness.

1 Sam. 24:15, “Therefore let the Lord be judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case, and deliver me out of your hand.” David depended on the judgement of God. For he knew that nothing is hidden from the eyes of God and all things we do and speak will be judged by the heaven.  He himself refused to judge and act. Had he done that, he could have considered Saul as a wicked person and take revenge easily. But he, being lead by the Holy Spirit left the judgement in the divine hands. Hence he was confident that the Lord would deliver him out of Saul’s hand. When we continue to forgive those who hurt us again and again, let us be assured of the great deliverance from heaven. Lk.6:37, “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.’ When one judges another, he or she forgets that he himself or she herself too will be judged. And when one forgives another, heaven forgives the concerned person. We all need forgiveness for none of us are perfect and holy. Knowingly and unknowingly we fall innumerable times. Let us be mindful of this truth and humble ourselves to forgive others and to receive forgiveness in turn. This again in turn opens doors for great deliverances in our lives.

1 Samuel 24:19, “ Then he said to David: “You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil. David earned a good testimony, that too from the mouth of the very person who was filled with hatred and jealousy for him.  Lk.23:47, ‘So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!” Christ was mocked, beaten, tried in courts and then crucified. But Jesus in turn prayed for forgiveness for all. The centurion who had witnessed the complete process of crucifiction, later witnessed about Christ being a ‘righteous Man’. Forgiving unconditionally and rewarding good for evil, sooner or later becomes powerful testimonies.

Rom.12:17, “ Repay no one evil for evil. Have^[e] regard for good things in the sight of all men.’  

Rom.12:21-21, ‘Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.’

Each time a person forgives another, he or she expresses the freedom in Christ. On the other hand, each time a person practices unforgiveness and revenge, knowingly or unknowingly, the concerned person offers himself or herself into the hands of the evil one to be bound by him and is lead into darkness and condemnation. May our intentions, desires, attitude, words and actions be examined regularly and carefully in the light of His Word, lest we are deceived.

GOD bless us all.