SOLOMON - DRIP, DRIP

In the middle of the night a dripping tap is most annoying. Do you try to ignore it or get up and turn the tap a little bit tighter? A dripping pipe can do an incredible amount of unseen damage, until eventually the effects of the constant leakage shows itself. Often in ceilings that fall down or floors that collapse. The regular drip, drip effect can have catastrophic impact.

Solomon didn’t seem to hear the drip, or if he did, he failed to get up and turn it off. Eventually, the damage was done and he suddenly realised how far away he, and his kingdom, had gone from the ideals of the beginning.

If the wisest man can succumb, then so can each one of us. No matter how many wise decisions you have made, one foolish one can overtake you. No matter that you know what wisdom is, foolishness is never far away.

If you hear a drip, get up and do something about it immediately, before it’s too late, it’ll save you a lot of damage later on. Make sure your heart is fully devoted to the Lord, that you put God first, that your eyes are fixed on Jesus.

That’s wise advice.

NATHAN - THE SEE-SAW

I have the joy of being a Grandpa to a beautiful granddaughter who is just 2 years old. One of the things we love doing together is going to the park and getting on the see-saw. The problem is that, as you might guess, I am heavier than her and that means that my side is always on the floor. Unless, we somehow balance out the ratio and make an effort to keep it that way.

John 1:14 tells us that Jesus was, ‘full of grace and truth.’ That is an amazing combination when it comes to strong relationships, relationships like David and Nathan. When the truth needed telling, Nathan did it with grace. Encouragement or correction, the grace and truth see-saw didn’t get out of balance, for Nathan or for David.

The secret of a strong relationship lies in the way these two gifts stay together. Whether you are telling the truth with grace or on the receiving end of it, you can guarantee that both will make a difference to your life and the life of others.

Have the courage to pray for someone with courage who will join you on the see-saw. Together you’ll have a whole lot of fun, it will make you both smile and no one will need to stay on the floor.

MEPHIBOSHETH - NOW...SOMEONE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT

When I was a kid, I got picked on by a bully. Every day when I walked home, he would be there waiting to do his worst. I don’t know why he did it, perhaps just because he could, but thankfully in the end he got fed up with me and, I expect, went and picked on someone else.

I guess the bully saw something in me that he either disliked or made me different or he couldn’t cope with. More likely, he simply wanted to boost his own self-esteem, feeling bigger and better, at least for that moment.

David didn’t need to boost his own self-esteem, he found his worth in God (most of the time!), so when he came across someone different, Mephibosheth, he wasn’t threatened, he didn’t see the difference, he saw the person, the heart, and treated him with the respect he deserved. In fact David went further, he embraced him as a son.

God values everyone. Jesus died for everyone, so let’s reflect that attitude in how we treat others because no one is outside the reach of God’s love, whatever makes them different. If you feel different, not accepted, alone, keep looking for a David who will treat you with honour. There’s someone out there who will treat you like a son.

DAVID - ARE YOU SITTING UNCOMFORTABLY?

Being old enough to remember the programme Listen with Mother, I remember how each programme started in the same way; ‘Are you sitting comfortably?’ and without waiting for an answer, continued, ‘Then I’ll begin.’

The story of David begins comfortably, has a very uncomfortable middle but then ends well. Not everyone deals well with uncomfortable middles, but David, despite his major mess-up, was still a ‘man after God’s heart’ (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22) and ended up in the ‘hall of fame’ of Hebrews 11 and was even quoted by Jesus!

If you are sitting uncomfortably at the moment, if you are embroiled in a bad lifestyle issue, addiction, debt, damaged relationships, deliberately going your own way instead of going God’s way, then admit it, turn away from it, get up and do something about it. Just like David did. It’s not too late – yet!

When David was on the run from Saul, about 400 men gathered round him. These men were, ‘in distress or in debt or discontented.’ (1 Samuel 22:2) In other words, they all had uncomfortable middles. David led them and despite his own uncomfortable middle, together they came through and God’s purposes were fulfilled.

Start sitting comfortably and then God can begin – again.