When others lie to you too...

Saul sent messengers to David's house to watch him, that he might kill him in the morning. But Michal, David's wife, told him, “If you do not escape with your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.” So Michal let David down through the window, and he fled away and escaped. Michal took an image and laid it on the bed and put a pillow of goats' hair at its head and covered it with the clothes. And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, “He is sick.” Then Saul sent the messengers to see David, saying, “Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.” And when the messengers came in, behold, the image was in the bed, with the pillow of goats' hair at its head. Saul said to Michal, “Why have you deceived me thus and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?” And Michal answered Saul, “He said to me, ‘Let me go. Why should I kill you?’” (1 Samuel 19:11-17 ESV) Saul's life was full of half-truths. He claimed that other people made him do things. He claimed over and over to have fully obeyed God. He told Samuel that "things just happened. He raised his daughter that way. Yet he acts surprised when she deceives him. He is appalled when she imitates his actions and thinks it is okay. Do you get angry when people lie to you? I think we all do. But what half-truths do we allow to slip by? What perceptions do we allow to exist that are not fully accurate? It can be in word or deed, at home or work, or spread throughout life's relationships. The Great Liar runs about deceiving and infecting our world with lies. It's not that surprising. But why would we want to do so? Let's ask the True One to watch over our words, thoughts and actions today to examine them for the smallest trace of a lie. May our words be true, our hearts be pure, and our actions honest before Him.

Short-lived promises...

And there was war again. And David went out and fought with the Philistines and struck them with a great blow, so that they fled before him. Then a harmful spirit from the LORD came upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand. And David was playing the lyre. And Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear, but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. And David fled and escaped that night. (1 Samuel 19:8-10 ESV) If this sounds familiar, you are not losing your mind or memory. Saul had tried this before. But even more recently he had promised his son: "David shall not die." It takes far more than passionate promises to change the heart. It takes some changes deep down within to give long-lasting change. Saul had told Jonathan what he wanted to hear. But when the pressures of life renewed, and Saul was overcome with fear and envy, all promises were forgotten. As he held his spear, he demonstrated his fear. (Who needs a spear sitting in his own palace???) How often do we tell people what they want to hear, then fall back into our old sinful patterns of behavior? It takes far more than a sad-spoken statement: "I won't do it again." It requires humility of heart to admit: "I am wrong. I need help. I am the problem. Change ME, o God." Let us be sincere in word, and may our promises be true.

Listening to the voice of reason...

And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David. And Jonathan told David, “Saul my father seeks to kill you. Therefore be on your guard in the morning. Stay in a secret place and hide yourself. And I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you. And if I learn anything I will tell you.” And Jonathan spoke well of David to Saul his father and said to him, “Let not the king sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have brought good to you. For he took his life in his hand and he struck down the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood by killing David without cause?” And Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan. Saul swore, “As the LORD lives, he shall not be put to death.” And Jonathan called David, and Jonathan reported to him all these things. And Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before. (1 Samuel 19:1-7 ESV) Saul was losing it. In his anger, envy and fear, he filtered the popularity and success of David as a reason to get him out of the palace and even out of his life. Jonathan, who loved his father, and David, and Israel willingly put himself in the middle, trying to be the voice of reason: Why eliminate the one who had brought Saul soothing, given Israel victory after victory, and made the palace peaceful and joyful? It was in the best interest of all for David to stay there. In a calmer moment, Saul listened to the voice of reason and even made an oath for David's safety. Jonathan did all he could to be the peacemaker, and to gently rebuke his erring father. Are we willing to be the voice of reason? To get in the middle? To do what is best for all concerned? Jonathan could have done many other things: let David go, seethe in anger at his father, or even encourage David to revolt. He chose the wiser but harder course. He cared. He cared about people and he cared about justice. How can we be like him today?

Forgetting who the real enemy is...

But when Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him, Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David's enemy continually. Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed. (1 Samuel 18:28-30 ESV) David's popularity was on the rise. No one was a distant second, not even Saul. No matter what Saul did to curb or stop it, everyone loved him. Why did Saul throw spears at him and put him on the front line to have him killed in battle? He was afraid of David's popularity and how that might affect him. He was afraid of losing the power, prestige and personal approval he had once had, though in reality that was already gone. He forgot who the real enemy was: the Philistines and the powers of evil working on him. By viewing David as the enemy(who really was not), he made himself the enemy of David, and therefore of God. Fear, jealousy, hatred and the thoughts, words and actions they lead to, all make us the enemy of God's plan, and even of ourselves. May we learn much from Saul's responses and reactions so we can recognize who the real enemy is, and not become one ourselves.

The One-Way Street of Respect

And the servants of Saul told him, “Thus and so did David speak.” Then Saul said, “Thus shall you say to David, ‘The king desires no bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged of the king's enemies.’” Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. Before the time had expired, David arose and went, along with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. (1 Samuel 18:24-27 ESV) David had consistently shown respect to Saul as King. He came whenever he was asked to sing to sooth his spirit. He spoke humbly when the topic turned to becoming part of the royal family through marriage. He rose to the occasion whenever called to do battle for the LORD, his nation, or against "the king's enemies." Saul, however, consistently showed disdain and disregard for David, taking his anger out against him, seeking any possible way to eliminate him. It was a one-way street of respect. Examine your relationships. Are there any "one-way" relationships of respect where you are heading the wrong way? Through your speech to or about that person? With your attitudes and motives? Are you "doing the right thing", but wishing they would just go away? What would life be like if the traffic suddenly turned direction? Would you be run over by hate? (Note: Pardon the pic... but remember: It is Saturday. Consider it your Saturday morning cartoon.)

Evil Intentions...

Now Saul's daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. Saul thought, “Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall now be my son-in-law.” And Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in private and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now then become the king's son-in-law.’” And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man and have no reputation?” (1 Samuel 18:20-23 ESV)Now Saul's daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. Saul thought, “Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall now be my son-in-law.” And Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in private and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now then become the king's son-in-law.’” And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man and have no reputation?” 1 Samuel 18:20-23 ESV) Saul wanted to give David a good thing: a wife who loved him. This was especially good, since he had already deprived David of another daughter he had promised him. But good things can come with evil intentions. The promise was a snare, as he hoped David would be emotional and irrational, and take unnecessary risks. But David does not respond that way. He continues to respond with humility and with a consistency that will make him a great king. Do we ever act like Saul? Sometimes we would "look bad" if we were to deny someone something good, so we allow them to have it, or hope they get it, only to choke on it. We want to look good at all cost, and seeing someone else fall and fail only makes us look better. The human heart is desperately wicked. May we truly bless those around us today, desiring what is best for them, and sincerely hoping they get it.

Taking Advantage...

Then Saul said to David, “Here is my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me and fight the LORD's battles.” For Saul thought, “Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and who are my relatives, my father's clan in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” But at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife. (1 Samuel 18:17-19 ESV) Saul had promised that whoever defeated Goliath would have the king's daughter as wife. David did so, but Saul stalled on his promise, asking David to go out and win more battles "for the LORD." He knew David would not refuse to serve God. Saul also took advantage of David's middle-eastern humility and politeness. He twisted David's statement about not deserving to be the King's son-in-law as and excuse to give her to someone else in a political marriage. All through this, David continued to serve God and his country, waiting in the LORD's timing, sticking to his humble perspective. Whereas some might say Saul walked all over David, the truth is that David knew God knew best. The sons Merab had with Adriel did evil, and eventually were killed by David, while David ended up receiving a daughter who really did love him. David's victory on the battlefield only endeared him more to the people. In other words, every way Saul sought to take advantage of David backfired. The same is true of us. Whatever excuses we use to take advantage of others, because "they really don't care," will come back to haunt us. Worse yet, they really displease the God of justice who watches us all. Whom have you taken advantage of to get your own way? Was it really worth it?