1 Chronicles 19:3 (NLT)
3 the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun, “Do you really think these men are coming here to honor your father? No! David has sent them to spy out the land so they can come in and conquer it!”
We have all met individuals who think it’s a badge of honor to “tell it like it is!” This is certainly the case for the advisors and commanders of the Ammonite army, as they share their thoughts with their new King Hanun when King David of Israel sends some of his men to re-declare friendship to the Ammonites after the death of King Hanun’s father. As a result, Hanun decides to not only send King David’s men away, but to shave off half of their beards and to cut off their robes at the buttocks! WOW! Talk about taking it to a whole new level! As a result, David attacks and destroys the Ammonites. We can only imagine why these “advisors” gave such bad advice. Perhaps it was because they resented how Hanun’s father had showed loyalty to David and they wanted to show that they were the top dogs in the new and improved Ammonite army. Perhaps they were really suspicious and wanted to protect their king. However, the way they humiliated David’s representatives reveals something else was going on. Maybe Hanun was resentful for some other reason that is lost to history, but “telling like IT IS” was literally not like it is! David wanted to show friendship but was met with disdain. David got his revenge, but that isn’t the main point. The main point is for us to never ever “tell it like it is,” because we may very well be wrong. Instead, we are called to always presume the best of others until they are clear that they are intending the worse. We are to be gentle and loving in our words and attitudes, speaking the truth in love at all times. In this way, we can more easily clarify any misunderstandings, speak to our concerns, and lastly, by listening to understand, rather than listening to respond, we can understand conflicts as an opportunity for greater insight and relationship, rather than engaging in confrontations that only serve to tear each other down. Peace and Blessings!
In the Love of Jesus Christ, Pastor Bob – church
pastorbobtitus@gmail.com, (412) 520-5407
