And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David. 2 And Jonathan told David, “Saul my father seeks to kill you. Therefore be on your guard in the morning. Stay in a secret place and hide yourself.
No good deed goes unpunished. That was one of my mother’s favorites. The cynicism behind it though is less humorous. The message seems to be to look out for number one and do only that which benefits yourself. Our current society would indicate that we have become expert students of this school of thought. Simple courtesy has become rare so the sacrificial bravery of David’s battle with Goliath looks so different. He was willing to fight the giant because Goliath was mocking the God of Israel with his presence in their kingdom. David’s heroism saved Israel. His reward was a death sentence from King Saul.
The sacrificial bravery of just a couple generations ago in WWII and Vietnam are largely forgotten today and veterans receive as their reward, PTSD, addiction, and homelessness. May the church of Christ never fall into the trap of fickleness like Israel did and America has done. We must be different in our willingness to do good to those who hate us, to suffer in contentment and joy, and to follow our Lord Jesus Christ right to the cross, which was his reward for the good he did for us. May we exalt him on his throne today and love those he loves, our neighbor.
Dear Lord, thank you for the deeds for which you were punished. May we remain steadfast in our love for your steadfast goodness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church