VOL. III, #088, 7/29/13 IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE BIG GUYS “When King David was old and well advanced in years, he could not keep warm even when they put covers over him. So his servants said to him, “Let us look for a young virgin to attend the king and take care of him. She can lie beside him so that our lord the king may keep warm. Then they searched throughout Isreal for a beautiful girl and found Abishag, a Shunamite, and brought her to the king. The girl was very beautiful; she took care of the king and waited on him, but the king had not intimate relations with her.” (1 Kings 1: 4 and beyond, NIV). Abishag was a “young virgin” brought in to keep the elderly, shivering King David warm at night. She was said to be beautiful to look at, although her name sounds a bit like the noises we make when we have a cold. Anyway, you might think that an old man sharing a bed with a beautiful young maiden to be somewhat suspicious, although, according to 1 Kings 1: 4, it was a chaste relationship. When old King David died, his son Adonijah wanted to marry Abishag. But Solomon saw this as an attempt to steal the throne and had Adonijah killed. We never hear anything else about poor Abishag. She simply exits stage left from Biblical history. One of the great things about the Bible is that the plots are not always about the big guys. There are dozens and dozens of minor players who pop into and out of stories. Some rise to the level of a single sermon … some do not. But it makes the Bible interesting, and should always find us searching. That’s one of the unique characteristics of Christianity. All of us seek out pastors, preachers, and passionate leaders whose charismatic style is such that we look up to them, learn from their teachings, and seek to follow their example. I believe that is how it should be, and that it is good for all of us. But I also believe that there are many folks who go about their spiritually touched lives, avoiding the spotlight, but looking for ways to serve others in a quiet, effective Christian manner. As I understand the story, young Abishag was sought out, and brought in to serve. That is exactly what she did, and afterwards she faded away never to be referred to again. Does that diminish her importance? I think not. One of the most impressive things I observe in this life is the number of “common people” who are not common at all. They are submissive in their demand for recognition and applause, but demonstrative in terms of their attention, affection, and action toward others. I thank God for the “big guys” who lead us along the paths of righteousness. But, I am equally impressed with those who rise to lesser-recognized levels of servant leadership, acting out on a daily basis the things they know and believe to be true and right. Building the Kingdom and Blessings, Brother Jim.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Jul 2013 23:27:35 +0000
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