MODERATE YOUR RESPONSE

Reference text: 2 Samuel 18:9-30, to 19:3

2 Samuel 19:2-3 And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, “The king is grieving for his son. So the troops returned to the city quietly that day, as people steal away in humiliation after fleeing a battle.

To the one without any insight, today’s text describes a father mourning his son, and regardless of the circumstances, he was right to. However, to those with inside information, there was more to this story. This was the story of Absalom, a rebellious young man who in pursuit of his father’s throne, sought his father’s life and drove him into hiding. He also publicly disgraced king David by openingly laying with his father’s concubines.

So in reading today’s text, my reaction was “David! David! David! What a man! And that is because King David’s character in scripture is fascinating and his story indeed worth studying.

However, my focus today was on his reaction. In our reference text, David is told of the death of his son Absalom, he went away and he wept. His mourning was such a big deal that his army were taken aback. This turned what was meant to be  a entire victory parade into a stealth and sorrowful return to camp.

In a practical sense, studies have shown that the reaction of children in specific circumstances is predicated on the responses they have seen around them. So what is the lesson: it is very important how you react to, and in situations, whether is is moments of joy or sorrow, pain or celebration, surprise, anger or stress. Not simply because there are others are watching, but because those responses can influence their responses.

How sad it is that one man’s sorrow turned an entire army’s victory into mourning? Think about this the next time you are about to show a response.

#sly