King's Kids
KING’S KIDS
2 Samuel 19:28
The surge in popularity of shows such as Montel, Jerry Springer and so on does not amaze me. There seems to be a desire to flaunt victimization, whatever the cost to the parties involved. When I think of my past sins, I think of them in two categories -
those I did and those done to me. It is easy to play victim, and honestly, I must guard myself against this mindset. Oy, oy is the Hebrew word for woe, and all of us want to make it our chant from time to time.
There is one Bible character who had every reason to be a victim. His name is Mephibosheth and when he was five, his nurse dropped him, as she was trying to flee invaders. Mephibosheth became lame in both feet. You may not know of his name, but his father was Jonathan - David's best friend, and his grandpa was Saul, David's big-time enemy.
The one who protected him, his nurse, inflicted upon him the most pain, albeit accidentally.
The Hebrew word for lame is nah-chay it can mean:
lame
dejected
smitten
contrite
maimed
All of us have been victims at least once in our life. Drive down any highway, let someone cut you off, and you feel victimized. Divorce, broken relationships, assault, incest, rape, a business deal gone sour, being at the wrong place at the wrong time, can all make us feel like victims, and most of the time, we have every right to feel like a victim.
Mephibosheth lost his family, and David, the king came searching for any lost relatives of Jonathan (2 Sam.9:1)
When David found Mephibosheth, David welcomed him into his own house, "you dine at my table, as one of my sons," said David.
Then David fought battles, lost and re-gained his kingdom. David came upon Ziba, servant to the house of Saul (and Mephibosheth). But Ziba only had interests for himself, he tried to deceive David and Mephibosheth and get Mephibosheth's inheritance . He joined David's side as they marched to Jerusalem.
Ziba, servant to the house of Saul, was to care for Mephibosheth, but we read:
Then Mephibosheth, the son of Saul came down to meet the king; and he had neither cared for his feet,
nor trimmed his mustache,
nor washed his clothes,
from the day the king departed until the day
he (David) came home in peace 2 Sam. 19:24
Ziba deceived him, trying to get Mephibosheth's inheritance. Mephibosheth finally met up with David, explaining everything, and the truth came forth that Ziba was really the bad one. Yet Mephibosheth still willingly split his inheritance with Ziba.
More opportunity for Mephibosheth to play Victim. But his response to David was:
For all my father's household was nothing but dead men before my lord the king,
yet you set your servant among those who ate at your own table.
What right do I have yet that I should complain any more to the king?
Mephibosheth's words changed my life:
For all my father's household
was nothing
but dead men
before my LORD the KING,
yet You set Your Servant
among those who ate at YOUR own table.
What right do I have yet that I should complain any more to the KING?
The LORD allows us, His King's kids, to sit at His table.
We sit there, legs dangling,
lame from the world,
yet complete in Him.