More Stuff I've Learned...

#2  People are MESSY...


...and I am not just referring to housekeeping habits.


I decided to do some reading in the Bible recently.  For some reason, I've been drawn to David.  The idea of such a favored man who had such a messy personal life is incredibly intriguing (and comforting) to me.


David, as it turns out, always had a weakness for women.  LONG before he became the creepy neighbor watching Bathsheba on the rooftop.  He had several wives before seducing her.  He even lost his first wife (a daughter of Saul) to another man (Saul gave her to someone else when all the trouble with David was festering) and eventually stole her back.  He collected women like, well, chattel.  My feminist sensibilities are extremely offended by this. Perhaps there's more to the story?  Or perhaps not.  More likely than not, David was a man who had passions and weakness just like EVERYBODY ELSE.  He was messy.  


God knew David's messiness long before David knew of it.  But he still favored him.  God saw something else in this soul.  As I've moved through the recorded narrative of his life, I've been struck by more than David's propensity to collect females; this man was possessed of a tender, tender heart. 


Let's begin with his relationship with Jonathan.  The Old Testament leaves no uncertainty when it comes to the strength of their bond of friendship.  Their souls were knit together, I think is the phrase used.  After David learned of the demise of Saul and his sons (Jonathan included), he sought out Jonathan's son (who had two lame feet) and bestowed honor on him.  For no other reason than he loved the family.  That's it.


David had ample opportunity to slay Saul.  And ample reason to.  Saul became CONSUMED with jealousy as David matured and showed his prowess as a military and political leader.  So, Saul repeatedly sought David's life.  And was repeatedly left at David's mercy.  And was repeatedly spared.  David refused to lift his hand against "the Lord's anointed." David's tender heart and mercy trumped his need for self-protection and revenge.  David heard of Saul's death (which seems to actually have been a suicide in the midst of a lost battle) from a stranger who claimed to be the one who killed Saul (I wonder if he thought he'd receive some sort of honor).  David ordered the man's death.


One of Saul's sons became an adversary to David during all the tumult for the kingdom (he had an awesome name--Ish-bosheth).  Ish-bosheth was crowned king of Israel and Judah seceded from the union by crowning David king.  After Ish-bosheth was killed (by his own men who were hoping to gain praise from David), David executed those who were responsible for Ish-bosheth's death (say that three times fast) for killing a righteous man.  


And then there's Absalom, David's son.  What a truly messy story this one is.  In the end, however, Absalom stole the hearts of Israel from David and tried to unseat him as king.  Absalom was killed.  And David wept over the loss of his son.  I think any father would, however, I am struck that it is recorded in this convoluted narrative.  David had a tender heart.  We are left without question on this point.


So, how do we remember him?  Often we refer to him as a fallen man.  Yes, he messed up.  I do not pretend to know the extent of his punishment, nor do I really care to know.  That's between David and God (and Uriah).  Yes, I understand that there is modern revelation about his state.  Again, I do not really care.  I think God has that under control.  


I prefer to look at David more complexly.  He was messy.  Just like me.  He had some pretty amazing core qualities that cannot be denied (one of them being a tender heart).  He is revered as a fabulously effective military leader and king in Israel.  And, let's not forget, his lineage produced the mortal Messiah.  But David was flawed.  Pretty deeply it seems.  He was also a product of his environment.  Life and humanity are more complex than we sometimes know how to deal with.  People don't fit into neat categories of black and white.  It's scary and uncertain to view humans more complexly.  But oh so liberating!


So, that's what I've learned.  People are messy.  ALL people are messy.  And you know what?  God doesn't love us in SPITE of that messiness.  He doesn't pick through our personalities and love only that which is lovable.  Nope.  He sees us as whole packages.  Bumps, bruises, rotten spots and all.


Isn't there much comfort to be found in that view of God?  And of our fellow men?


I think so...