Who is the Newman to your Seinfeld? Do you have an arch-enemy in the world? Is there someone who makes you talk through your teeth? What if somehow, you had their future in your hands? What would you do to them?
After running for his life from Saul, on more than one occasion, David had the opportunity to kill the man who was terrorizing him. All of David’s friends saw the opportunity for their leader to take matters into his own hands. But David refused. Instead, he showed Saul great grace. David, the ancestor of Jesus, was a man after God’s own heart. We see this, especially in his unwillingness to harm his enemy.
What would we do if we were Saul? Saul said all the right things. But he would not give up the quest to destroy his rival. In this story, I want to think I am David. But in God’s greater story I am the one who needs grace and needs to be forgiven. God allowed the Son of David, Jesus to die in our place. “But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Will we receive his grace today?
Years ago, Charles Wesley wrote, “And can it be that I should gain an interest in my Savior’s blood. Died he for me who caused his pain, who him to death pursued? Amazing love, how can it be, that thou my God shouldst die for me?” Since God forgave us when we sinned against him, shouldn’t we forgive and spare those who harm us?
