Criticized And Insulted

CRITICIZED AND INSULTED

a prayer to open

My Lord, my God, show me your heart. Ground me in your presence.

Draw me near and hold me close.

As King David came to Bahurim, a man came out of the village cursing them. It was Shimei son of Gera, from the same clan as Saul’s family. . . . “Get out of here, you murderer, you scoundrel!” he shouted at David. “The LORD is paying you back for all the bloodshed in Saul’s clan. You stole his throne, and now the LORD has given it to your son Absalom.” . . .

“Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king?” Abishai son of Zeruiah demanded. “Let me go over and cut off his head!”

“No!” the king said. “Who asked your opinion! . . . If the LORD has told him to curse me, who are you to stop him?”

Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son is trying to kill me. Doesn’t this relative of Saul have even more reason to do so? Leave him alone and let him curse, for the LORD has told him to do it. And perhaps the LORD will see that I am being wronged and will bless me because of these curses today.” So David and his men continued down the road, and Shimei kept pace with them on a nearby hillside, cursing and throwing stones and dirt at David.

We have gone back in time a bit with this passage in order to meet a man who will appear repeatedly in David’s life. While David was still on the run from Absalom, he encountered Shimei, a blood relative of Saul who believed that David had wrongly usurped Saul’s throne. David’s remarkable restraint in sparing Shimei’s life despite his insults and rock throwing suggests that David was back in step with God’s will. After all, he would have had every right to kill Shimei. He laid down his rights to preserve Shimei’s life.

• Why do you think David spared Shimei’s life?
• When have you been insulted or criticized recently? How did it make you feel? How did you respond?
• In an average week, how often do you criticize other people (including people you don’t know)? What feelings or events typically lead you to criticize others?

Father, forgive me for criticizing the people in my life, both those I know and those I don’t. I want to be an encourager, someone who builds up others with my words and actions. Give me a spirit of gentleness and patience so I see the best in others and can bring blessings instead of insults or judgment. Help me turn to you when criticism comes my way and remember that my identity and worth are found in you alone. Amen.