1 Samuel 30:21-31 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is 1 Samuel 30:21-31. As usual, I encourage you to open your Bible and read the passage yourself first. See what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help. Then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
1 Samuel 30:21-25 (NIV)
21 Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him and who were left behind at the Besor Ravine. They came out to meet David and the people with him. As David and his men approached, he greeted them.
22 But all the evil men and troublemakers among David’s followers said, “Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered. However, each man may take his wife and children and go.”
23 David replied, “No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the LORD has given us. He has protected us and handed over to us the forces that came against us.
24 Who will listen to what you say? The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.”
25 David made this a statute and ordinance for Israel from that day to this.
On verses 21-25: The 400 who helped David with the rescue operation didn’t understand why David would allow the 200 who didn’t go with them to share in the plunder. What was going on in David’s mind? David was thinking about grace. Grace is showing people goodness that they don’t deserve. Before when Saul was chasing after David, David would say, “What have I done to deserve this?” He didn’t get why he was treated so badly. But at this moment David is especially aware of his own sinfulness and failures. David was learning to look at the good things God had done in his life and say, “What have I done to deserve this?” Having David experienced God’s grace, David was able to extend God’s grace to the 200 men who were too exhausted to help in his rescue operation against the Amalekites. Later when David became king he would even enact a law that codified this principle of grace, saying that whether you serve on the front lines or in the background, your share in the spoils is the same (v25).
Jesus teaches a similar parable about a landowner who hires different workers at different times in the day, but pays the workers who started later the same wage as he promised to pay those who started earlier. It’s a message about God’s grace.
All of us are like David’s 200 exhausted men, or the workers who started late in Jesus’ parable. We have received far more from God than what we actually deserve. Since we have experienced God’s grace, let’s extend His grace to others. Who is someone God wants you to extend grace to today?
1 Samuel 30:26-31 (NIV)
26 When David arrived in Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends, saying, “Here is a present for you from the plunder of the LORD’s enemies.”
27 He sent it to those who were in Bethel, Ramoth Negev and Jattir;
28 to those in Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa
29 and Racal; to those in the towns of the Jerahmeelites and the Kenites;
30 to those in Hormah, Bor Ashan, Athach
31 and Hebron; and to those in all the other places where David and his men had roamed.
On verses 26-31: In view of the mercy and grace God had showed David, David also decides to reach out to the towns and cities that had allowed David and his people to roam and to hide. He shares with these towns and cities some of the plunder he had gained. In doing this, David was thanking these towns and cities for the grace they had shown to him.
What can we learn from this? Don’t take for granted the people who have shown you grace and generosity in the past. Go out of your way to let them know that you appreciate them and share grace with them in return.
Thank You Lord for the amazing, undeserved grace You show me day after day. I pray that I wouldn’t take Your grace for granted, including the people who have shown me grace in the past. May I go out of my way to appreciate them and to share grace with them in return. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
Copyright © 2022 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.
