Years into his reign as leader of Israel, King David had drifted apart from God. Likely due to the trappings of the throne, where political, military, and financial power allowed him to do whatever he wanted, David seemed to believe more in his crown than the sovereign king of all Creation who placed the crown on his head. Therefore, one spring when his army was out at war, he abused his power and took the wife of one of his trusted military leaders. Then, when David’s attempt to cover up his role in her pregnancy failed, he had her husband killed and took her to be one of his own wives.
As horrible as that was, particularly for one often thought of as a “man after God’s own heart,” it gets worse. God sends a prophet to confront David, and when presented with a scenario remarkably similar to the events that he had committed, David decrees death for that fictitious man, completely oblivious to the fact that he was hearing his own case. He had drifted so far away from God that he could not recognize how sinful he was. Only when the prophet blasts him with the declaration that he is that man does David snap out of it and demonstrate remorse and repentance.
Perhaps lulled by the safety, prosperity, and freedom of living in the wealthiest nation in history, we as a nation and as the church in America have drifted away from God. When a man who spread the gospel wherever he went while also expressing political views that some found offensive was gunned down in cold blood last week, many cheered or celebrated or took some measure of satisfaction with his death. What a powerful indication of hearts that have strayed far from God, and America needs to confront that reality.
Specifically to the church, we are called to love our enemies, not simply those we like and agree with. We are called to bless those who persecute us, whether that persecution is verbal or physical. And we are told that the world will recognize us by our love for one another. These are the very basics of Christianity, a relationship with Jesus that calls us to surrender all of our selves for the sake of becoming like him. If we take even the slightest pleasure in the murder of any human being, we are failing at a fundamental level.
More broadly to the nation, realize that many nations have placed a lower value on the lives of their citizens who didn’t believe in the right way than those who toed the party line. Millions of people were killed, starved, or worked to death in labor camps, and as a nation we considered those nations as enemies worth fighting, so that the people being oppressed might be freed. We believed in the dignity of human life, along with the right to free speech, including speech that might offend. To be indifferent to someone in this nation being assassinated simply for expressing those fundamental beliefs is to move our nation down a very dark path littered with the most villainous nations of history.
Fortunately, there is hope. Confronted with the evil nature of his actions, David repented and sought to walk closely with God. Perhaps the church, and our nation, will now recognize the evil that resides in our own hearts and seek similarly to repent. The evidence is before us and is undeniable. How we respond is up to us.
Peace and blessings – Pastor Aaron