[email protected] Read 2 Samuel 13:5-10 – So Jonadab said to him, “Lie down on your bed and pretend to be ill. And when your father comes to see you, say to him, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and give me food, and prepare the food in my sight, that I may see it and eat it from her hand.’” Then Amnon lay down and pretended to be ill; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, “Please let Tamar my sister come and make a couple of cakes for me in my sight, that I may eat from her hand.” And David sent home to Tamar, saying, “Now go to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.” So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house; and he was lying down. Then she took flour and kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. And she took the pan and placed them out before him, but he refused to eat. Then Amnon said, “Have everyone go out from me.” And they all went out from him. Then Amnon said to Tamar, “Bring the food into the bedroom, that I may eat from your hand.” And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them to Amnon her brother in the bedroom. (NKJV) Fridays with David The story of Amnon raping Tamar is one of several low points in David’s story. Ultimately, he will fail to take appropriate action against his evil son and even greater heartache will result. But David’s role in the story is more than suspicious. Amnon’s request that Tamar be sent to him is carried out by his father, the king. Did he not know of Amnon’s desire? Could he not see the real motive of his “sick” son? Likely, David sensed that Amnon’s request wasn’t purely motivated, but he might have been blindly hoping that no evil would come of it. David’s decision to allow this scheme shows his own inability to do what is truly right–an ability he once had as a young leader. A leader must protect those he leads—sometimes at the risk of being wrongly suspicious. Wouldn’t you step in if you thought someone might be scheming to hurt your child? Of course. But in other circumstances, we can choose to avoid asking questions or investigating a brewing conflict, just because we hope to avoid confrontation or having to deal with the problem we sense might be underway. If trouble is stirring, don’t shrink back. Step forward and shield those you love from the moments that are rising against them. – Dr. Mike Clarensau serves as Senior Director of the Healthy Church Network of the Assemblies of God. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter or Google+
Posted on: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:28:39 +0000
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