He Dwells — The B'log in My Eye

So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the Lord lives, the man who has done this shall surely die! And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.” 2 Samuel 12:5-6

One Angry Man

As led by the Lord, Nathan shares a story with his close friend David and the appalling account left him (David) radically incensed. As a result, David imposes an exceedingly harsh sentence—the death penalty. According to the law of the day, David was justified in imposing restoration, but a death sentence (ironically) was set aside for those who commit murder or adultery. David knew the law, so why was he being so cruel?

If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall restore five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep. Exodus 22:1

Here’s the reason: David overreacted to somebody else’s perverse behavior because he was guilty of it himself. We can be sure if we witness a person reacting excessively to someone else’s transgression that they are likely struggling with, have struggled with, or are currently caught up into the same exact sin. We need not go any further than our newspapers or television sets to see this played our daily.

And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:3-4

A Good Thing

This is good for two reasons: because it helps us to identify those around us and the sin(s) they likely battle or embrace. Is there somebody you know who is especially harsh or unsympathetic towards a particular kind of sin? You can practically guarantee that the complainant struggles with the very same thing in one way, shape, or form. The other reason is of course that we might discover we are that person.

Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!” 2 Samuel 12:7

I betcha that David knew ‘he was the man’ before Nathan told him; I suspect the Lord convicted him the moment he (David) declared that the sheep bandit should be put to death. David was in fact condemned by his merciless overreaction. The question that remains is, “Am I?” Are you?

Our Father did not merely give us these accounts as historical records, but so that we might grow spiritually; that we might willingly subject ourselves to His sanctification and refining process. If we cannot see ourselves in these accounts then we are missing the critical point: we are sinners saved by grace, but sinners still and God does not desire to leave us this way.

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