If you look at the Bible through the eyes of merit, you will come away very confused. And there is a very valuable lesson in it for us.

I’m reading through 1 Samuel, where it describes how David rose to kingship after Saul abdicated his. David, in fleeing from the threat of Saul, goes to Philistine, the enemy of Israel. And there, he pretends to be friendly to the Philistine king, earning his trust by lying to him that he had been fighting against the Israelites when he really wasn’t.

It is baffling when you read about David. He lies! And this wasn’t the first time. At another time, he pretends like he is mad by drooling and saying non-sensical things when he was in trouble in order to get out of it. (And you know about his escapade later on with Bathsheba!)

This is NOT what an honorable person looks like. Aren’t God’s people always to tell the truth and never be deceitful? Yes! The 9th Commandment tells us so! But David breaks the law. He’s really trying to save his hide. Why doesn’t he trust God? How can God choose such a man to lead His nation?

David’s role is not to be our example. His role is to point us to Jesus – the perfect executer of all that God required. And Jesus is not merely our example, for that would devastate us since we can never be like Him. But He is to be our substitute. David, in this case, was acting more like us. He’s a flawed human being even though he was anointed by God to be the king of His chosen nation.

And therein lies the important lesson. God didn’t choose David because he was better than Saul. God chose David because God is God and He can do whatever He wants. God didn’t choose you because you were nicer than your neighbor who cusses all the time. God chose you because God is God and He can do whatever He wants. That’s the prerogative of being God. He’s not constrained by anything like we are!

Our response to this is simply humbling ourselves and thanking Him. He didn’t have to choose any of us. He could’ve simply let us flow down the river to our death since that’s where we were headed with our evil hearts and secret evil acts. Yet, He jumped in the river to save us, clothe us, gave us  food to eat, and shelter to live in….

Stop trying to earn His favor. Stop trying to get Him to bless your life by being good and doing good. He’s already done the greatest deed of giving you His Son. Be happy with that!

“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs – heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” Romans 8:16-17. 

PH