Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Dignity (04/25/24)
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TITLE: Saul’s Daughter | Previous Challenge Entry
By Lynae Fisher
04/29/24 -
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Consider the story of Hanun and David’s servants. Hanun’s father, who had been David’s friend, had died and David sent servants to offer his condolences. Distrusting David’s kind intentions, Hanun disgraced the servants pathetically. 2Samuel 10:4*, “Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.” Now that is downright rude. Poor guys.
As if that was not bad enough, the gospel of Mark tells an even worse story when Jesus was arrested in the garden. Mark 14:51-52*, “And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.” Just in case you were wondering, the Bible has other warnings about grabbing people by their clothes. It is not a good idea.
Though time would fail me to tell of all the less-than proper scenes in the Bible, the last one I wish to mention is not like the others. You see, when David returned the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem he was very excited to return it to its rightful place after its absence. David was so excited that he laid aside his kingly robes and girding himself with a linen ephod, he worshipped the Lord with singing and dancing as the ark went. Michal, his wife, was embarrassed. She thought it beneath him to dance like that in public. When she complained to David, this was his response. 2 Samuel 6:20-22*
“Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, ‘How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!’ And David said unto Michal, ‘It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD. And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.’”
Notice that he was not naked as she accused him of, but he was not wearing his kingly robes.
Michal was disgusted by what she deemed as undignified for the king of Israel. David, however, did not care what she or anyone else thought so long as he was worshipping the Lord with his whole heart. That was all that mattered to him. The Lord was his shepherd; nothing else mattered. As for what God said about all this, let us just say He sided with David. Because Michal had despised David in her eyes for worshipping the Lord, she was barren for the rest of her life.
If I were to put a moral on this story, I would say that God does not judge by man’s standards. Isaiah 55:8-9* puts this very clearly. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
In case you thought that following Jesus was safe, Paul had something to say on the issue. 1 Corinthians 1:23-25*: “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”
People may laugh at us, but true dignity and honor is found in serving the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Ignore what Saul’s daughter tells you.
*All verses quoted from the King James Bible
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Spot on topic and so relevant for Christ followers today.
I loved it and hope it does well in the judging and if sought out by ministries.
Great point of view. On topic.
I'm on the same page with you!
You did great! Thank you. :-)