MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE

Then the men of David said to him, “Behold, this is the day of which Yahweh said to you, ‘Behold, I am about to give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good in your eyes.’” Then David arose and cut off the edge of Saul’s robe secretly.  

1 Samuel 24:4

Really? Is that what the Lord said? Sometimes, we hear what we want to hear. David’s men heard what they wanted to hear when Jonathan came to David in 1 Samuel 23:16-17. God did not say this. In Deuteronomy 32:35, God had said that He is the One who takes vengeance. You and I face the same kind of temptation. Your coworker says, “You know that the boss promised you that position, and now he has given it to someone else!” Actually, the boss said, “Bill, we’re also considering you for that position.” We must be wise and sort through situations and things that are said. 

How did David handle this situation? How did he end up making the right choice? First Samuel 24:5 says that the Holy Spirit pricked David’s conscience. Submission to the Holy Spirit on the basis of the word of God was step one. Then, notice verse 7 of 1 Samuel 24. David “tore his men to pieces with these words.” David spoke the truth. Truth can hurt (Prov. 27:6). But often pain comes before healing as in the medical profession. In the third place, David demonstrated that he really believed what he had said. Read 1 Samuel 24:8-22. David was a tremendous example to his men because more is caught than taught. 

When you are faced with a decision, what process do you go through in order to come to a conclusion? Do you submit yourself to God’s Spirit and His word and take the word of God as the final authority on the matter? Do you boldly proclaim what God says in love? Then, do you live it out? This is a pattern that we see in the man who followed the heart of God.

Ike Graham