Today's Daily Lesson comes from 1 Samuel chapter 1 verses 1 through 10a and 16 through 19:
When Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, ‘David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.’ 2Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to look for David and his men in the direction of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. 3He came to the sheepfolds beside the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave.4The men of David said to him, ‘Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, “I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good to you.” ’ Then David went and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s cloak. 5Afterwards David was stricken to the heart because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s cloak. 6He said to his men, ‘The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the Lord’s anointed, to raise my hand against him; for he is the Lord’s anointed.’7So David scolded his men severely and did not permit them to attack Saul. Then Saul got up and left the cave, and went on his way. 8 Afterwards David also rose up and went out of the cave and called after Saul, ‘My lord the king!’ When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance. 9David said to Saul, ‘Why do you listen to the words of those who say, “David seeks to do you harm”? 10This very day your eyes have seen how the Lord gave you into my hand in the cave; and some urged me to kill you, but I spared you.
16 When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, ‘Is that your voice, my son David?’ Saul lifted up his voice and wept. 17He said to David, ‘You are more righteous than I; for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. 18Today you have explained how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the Lord put me into your hands. 19For who has ever found an enemy, and sent the enemy safely away? So may the Lord reward you with good for what you have done to me this day.
Who says the Bible doesn't have a sense of humor?
Here David has his enemy King Saul in a VERY compromising position and yet David refuses to exploit the situation. He resists disgracing the King. David allows his enemy to turn the other cheek, as it were.
I'm thinking now of the dirtiness of our politics. Everybody is playing hardball now days. It's cut throat, high stakes, winner take all. There are no holds barred and nothing is off limits or out of bounds. We need dirt and we'll do whatever it takes to get it.
And yet, I heard about a local politician who was sent some very compromising information on a political opponent. I mean he really had the goods on the guy -- all the dirt. But rather than exploiting it he decided to burn it instead. He burned it because as he said, "My mother taught me that if you throw mud you're bound to get dirty yourself."
I wish that guy would run for high office.
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