When My Actions Hurt Others

-


Scripture

1Chr. 21:28   At that time, when David saw that the LORD had answered him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he made his sacrifices there.  29 For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt offering were at that time in the high place at Gibeon;  30 but David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD.

Observation

David had disobeyed God by ordering a census of the people. The consequences of David’s decision reached far beyond David himself and to all of his people. The angel stood over Jerusalem, sword drawn as all the people would have to suffer as a result of David’s unwise decision. Recognizing his failure he began to plead before God, asking forgiveness for his actions, and the salvation of his people. It would have been customary to go to Gibeon to make a sacrifice before God, but David felt he needed to stay at the threshing floor of Ornan, and not leave the city of Jerusalem without an intercessor. He recognize that he had brought about the calamity, his actions were hurting the innocent, and so he did all he could to save them.

Application

Our actions and our inactions have consequences, and often those reach far beyond ourselves. We may want to stand firm in our personal “rights” but that doesn’t mean that others may not get hurt. David could have argued with God that he had the “right” as leader of the Israelites to order a census. It was certainly within his rights as a king — other nations did it all the time. However, God had given him instructions that went beyond the rights of human kingdoms. David was to be obedient to God — a higher authority. In his disobedience to God his entire kingdom would suffer the consequences.

At this point David had two choices. He could have argued his “right” before God and stood in stubborn pride and arrogance and watched his people die, or he could admit his sin and work toward the deliverance of them all. David was willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of his people.

David recognized what he had done and was willing to take action for the greater good. He admitted what he had done and repented of his sin both before God and his people. David gathered together his leadership team, they put on sackcloth and bowed low before God. He followed God’s instructions and went and purchased the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

David insisted on paying full price for the site, realizing that he needed to pay in full for what he had done. There can be no short-cuts to restitution. We can’t let someone else pay for the damage that we have done, but we must be willing to pay the full price, taking full responsibility for our actions.

David remained at the threshing floor, interceding for Jerusalem. As king he would have liked to have gone to the high place of Gibeon, but he humbled himself, giving up the high place and staying in prayer for his people. When my actions hurt others, I don’t get to just pick things up and go along my way as if nothing ever happened. I may never again return to the “high” places, but if I love others, I’m willing to lay down my life for them. I’m willing to give up everything for them, including my position, reputation and personal comforts. This is true love for God and neighbor.

When my actions hurt others, even if I am within my rights, I need to evaluate my response in light of my relationship to God. It’s humbling. It’s not the way of the world.

Prayer

Lord, please help me to see my actions in light of obedience to you.  May I be willing to repent and make restitution when I have hurt others.  Amen.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Take Off Your Ornaments

-
Scripture: Ex. 33:4 ¶ When the people heard these harsh words, they mourned, and no one put on ornaments. Ex. 33:5 For the LORD had said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now take off your ornaments, and I will decide what to do to you.’” Ex. 33:6 Therefore the Israelites stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward. Observation: The people had sinned before God by making and worshiping the golden calf!  They had taken their golden jewelry — the earrings and other items they had gotten from the Egyptians and used them to create an idol.  Now, in an act of humility and repentance they were to take off all of their jewelry and ornaments.  It was a time of mourning over their sin and it included intentional action on the part of the Israelites.  Application: We don’t do all that well with humility and repentance!  It seems that we live in a ti...
Read more

Does God Value Boys More than Girls?

-
Scripture: Lev. 12:1 ¶ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Lev. 12:2 Speak to the people of Israel, saying: ¶ If a woman conceives and bears a male child, she shall be ceremonially unclean seven days; as at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. Lev. 12:3 On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Lev. 12:4 Her time of blood purification shall be thirty-three days; she shall not touch any holy thing, or come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification are completed. Lev. 12:5 If she bears a female child, she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation; her time of blood purification shall be sixty-six days. Lev. 12:6 ¶ When the days of her purification are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb in its first year for a burnt offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. Lev. 12:7 He shall offer it before the LORD, and make atonement on her ...
Read more

On Grief and A Flute Player

-
Scripture: Matt. 9:23 When Jesus came to the leader’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, Matt. 9:24 he said, “Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. Matt. 9:25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. Matt. 9:26 And the report of this spread throughout that district. Observation: This is a simple story which we have heard or read numerous times. Jesus heals the little girl and the people rejoice. But at the moment in which he arrives at the home he encounters the professional mourners. These are the flute players, the ones who have come to make a great noise about the child’s death. It is the flute player that testifies to the fact that she is truly dead. Also, flutes were generally employed when it came to the death of a child. The whole community would therefore understand that it is a child who has died in this home. The flute player is doing the job they have ...
Read more