We live at a time when
almost everyone is after easy money. Young people almost do anything to earn
money. They simply call it 'business' or ' shikella.' Wherever is the easy money, wherever is the shortcut to richness, there,
you can find the youth. I often see people turn down job opportunities they are
passionate about because it doesn't pay good; and I often, see young people engaged in activities just
for the money; no interest, no passion attached to it. Growing in a certain
career seems not that important these days.
So what triggered me to this idea?
I was just reading the story of David on 1 Samuel 24 David was hiding from Saul in a cave, when Saul went to the cave
to relieve himself (most probably for number two). This seems like a good, even
a God designed opportunity for David to kill Saul and be enthroned. David could
have just said, 'the Lord has given me my enemy in my own hands...' That is
what his friends actually advised him, "This is the day the Lord spoke of
when he said to you, 'I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with
as you wish." v.4 Imagine David at the corner of the cave hiding,
while his enemy who was actually out to find and kill him is before him
relieving himself.
David had time to think, a moment to make a decision that can take
his life from cave to palace, from living as a fugitive to a luxury of a royal
life, from sleeping on a stone to a kings bed, from eating hunted food to the
feast of the palace, from life of loneliness to the life he can marry and be
friends with whoever he desires, from tiresome waiting to what God has promised
to him, to taking by force and owning what God has promised. David could have
just stabbed Saul at the back and become king of Israel. But David didn't kill Saul by
the sword in his hands. David decided to wait on God instead of taking things
in his own hands.
David's integrity was tested, he was tempted to take the shortcut
to success, he was tempted to take the easy way out, however he didn't fall for
the temptation. David remembered Saul was appointed by God and it is against
the law to kill the king. And that was a defining moment in his life and a
lesson to us to this day.
It is funny, though David restrained from killing Saul, he made a
bizarre decision in sneaking up to cut off Saul's robe. Ha, something to show
off of his integrity, something to show to his friends later, and when the time
comes to Saul himself. It could be something to show off when he said, 'I
could have killed Saul, look how close I was, but I have integrity.'
In our
words it could be... 'I didn't take a short cut, I didn't take a bribe at my work, I didn't do
what those people do to earn easy money, look everyone I have integrity.' Often
times we cancel out our integrity with pride. Integrity and pride can never go
hand in hand.
The very thing I always love about David is that he recognized his
mistakes and took responsibility. David was conscious stricken for having cut
off a corner of Saul's robe. He said to his men, "The Lord forbid that I
should do such a thing to my master, the Lord's anointed or lift my hand
against him for he is the anointed of the Lord. With this words David rebuked
his men and did not allow them to attack Saul." v.5
"Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers
little by little will increase it." Proverbs 13:11
May God help us to keep our integrity like David; to not take the shortcut
to God's long term plan for our life and to have a heart of repentance like
David... Amen!
