written by Mary Ayala

David’s celebration of the defeat of the Amalekites and the recovery of their plunder is short-lived. Isn’t that often the case – some difficulty or disappointment frequently follows closely on the heels of some victory or success. A ragged Amalekite man stumbles into David’s camp and brings news of the deaths of Saul and Jonathan. What is interesting, though, is his account of how Saul died. We read yesterday of Saul’s suicide. Yet, in this account, the Amalekite claims to have killed Saul at Saul’s request. Here’s what I think might explain the difference in the two accounts. I think the Amalekite was hoping to get some reward from David by telling David he had killed his enemy, Saul. Talk about a calculated risk. The messenger had a slim chance of getting any reward from David considering how David had just overtaken and defeated the Amalekites. I wasn’t prepared for David’s reaction to the news of Saul’s death. You see, I mostly assess circumstances and events with regard to what impact they might have on me personally. I presumed that David would welcome the news of Saul’s death since Saul had previously attempted to kill him. Even though there was a reconciliation in 1 Samuel 26, David “thought to himself, ‘One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul.’” (I Samuel 27:1) If Saul were dead, David could stop running and stop hiding. But there is no rejoicing on David’s part. Instead, he kills the messenger because he dared to take the life of one of God’s anointed.

David did not use Saul’s behavior as an excuse to ignore Saul’s status as God’s anointed king of Israel. David could have reasoned that Saul didn’t deserve to be king because he was no longer favored by God or because the people had turned against him. Instead, David accorded Saul the full honor of his position as “the Lord’s anointed.” I want to demonstrate David’s faithful loyalty towards my family, friends, and church leaders. I don’t want to make any excuses for behaviors that might diminish the respect and genuine regard I have for others. I want God’s love to be stirred up in me by the Holy Spirit and poured out indiscriminately on those I come in contact with. No strings attached.

Your Fellow Traveler,

Mary