By Tim McCown
Editor’s Note: Our missionary Tim McCown met with our church family this past week for our Mid-Week Prayer Service. He shared the following with us. My sincere appreciation for his time and ministry. Please pray for him, Jenelle, and their children as they serve in Japan. He credited Lifeway’s Gospel Project curriculum in the development of his thoughts from “Unit 11: Great King David (1–2 Samuel, Psalms) – Session 2.”
In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis wrote, “Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until he has something to forgive.” Forgiveness can be hard. Especially if we’ve been wounded deeply. But forgiveness is a core distinctive of Christianity. Because of the substitutionary atoning work of Christ, we have forgiveness for our sins. And because he has forgiven our sin, we point others to Christ by forgiving them.
Because of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, people are forced to stay home from work, and that means being in close proximity with other sinners for a long period of time. Schools are closed so children have to stay home. That’s more sinners together. And when sinners get together in close proximity, there’s going to be conflict. The mainstream media reports people’s stress is high and conflict is on the rise in families.
The Struggle
As Christians, when we experience conflict, we should be aiming to respond in a Christ-like way in the conflict. But as sinners we are tempted to ignore Christ-centered conflict resolution and just let time heal all wounds. But that’s a problem, because that shows there is an inconsistency between what we believe (that forgiveness is important) and what we actually do (which should be resolving the conflict in a Christ-like way and seeking forgiveness if we have sinned against someone or been sinned against).As Christians, when we experience conflict, we should be aiming to respond in a Christ-like way in the conflict. But as sinners we are tempted to ignore Christ-centered conflict resolution and just let time heal all wounds. Click To Tweet
David’s Response to Saul
In the scriptures, David was no stranger to conflict. He had been anointed by the prophet Samuel to be the next king of Israel, he had defeated the Canaanite champion Goliath, and King Saul became jealous and suspicious of David. It got to the point where King Saul plotted to kill David. In 1 Samuel 24, David had to make a decision about how he would respond to Saul in the midst of this life-threatening conflict. The band of fighters David was with recommended that David end the conflict with violence. However, David handled the conflict with Saul in a Christ-like way.
Trust God’s Character
In the conflict, David trusted God’s justice (Read 1 Samuel 24:8-15). Saul had slandered David. He wanted him dead. Saul unjustly isolated David. However, despite the ways he had been deeply hurt and isolated from his community, David refused to respond in anger towards his slanderer. Instead, David trusted himself to God’s care, trusted in God’s justice, and showed Christ-like mercy and grace to his enemy.
- David took the initiative in reconciling the relationship. Saul was the one who started the conflict and should have been the first to ask for forgiveness. However, David is the one who took the initiative by going to the offender and seeking reconciliation.
- David humbled himself when seeking reconciliation. He thought of the other person as better than himself. When seeking reconciliation, he didn’t start by making accusations. He bowed down and referred to himself as a dead dog and a flea.
- David refused to fight back. He could have finished the conflict with the sword. However, he trusted that God would do what is right. David believed that God would deliver him from death. He trusted that God’s justice would win in the end, and that God would defend his cause.
God is just. Because God is holy and righteous, the creatures he has given a conscience to are responsible to do what is right according to his moral standards. As humans, we will be judged according to his righteous standards. Many people are tempted to think that God just looks the other way when we sin. However, if God did not uphold his righteousness and simply ignored how people sin against one another and sin against him, he would no longer be just. But he is just. By Jesus’ death on the cross to atone for our sins, He showed Himself to be both just and the Justifier of those who have faith in Christ. It was this just God that David was trusting in.
Demonstrate Mercy and Grace
Also, in the conflict, David showed mercy and grace (Read 1 Samuel 24:16-22). David refused to hurt King Saul, but he wasn’t under that obligation to the King’s descendants. Yes, Saul’s son Jonathan shared in a political-friendship covenant with David. But the rest of Saul’s children were political threats to David’s kingship. When the throne was threatened by political rivalries, the world expected those rivalries to be eliminated. For example, Saul saw David and his future descendants as political threats. Therefore, David was a threat to be eliminated. But surprisingly, not only did David show mercy by not taking Saul’s life, but David showed grace by promising to keep his children alive. David was taking a big risk by doing this. After all, Saul’s family might try to assassinate him in the future to maintain the dynasty of Saul.
Christ Is Our True Example and Hope
David responded righteously in this conflict. But ultimately, David isn’t the one we should trust and follow. David was a sinner, and even murdered a man to get his wife. In all the righteous things that David did, Christ showed us an even better righteousness, a righteousness that leads to the justification, sanctification, and glorification of those that trust in him.
- Jesus took the initiative to reconcile our relationship with God (Read Romans 5:8)
- Jesus humbled himself (Read Philippians 2:8)
- Jesus refused to fight back (Read Luke 23:24)
- Jesus gave himself as a sacrifice to spare our lives (Read John 10:17-18)
- Jesus owns everything in the entire universe, yet he sought our salvation (Read 2 Corinthians 8:9)
How Do We Respond?
When we think about these scriptures with faith in Christ, our views of conflict will begin to change. We will start to see conflict as an opportunity to follow Christ by responding in a way that points others to the justice, mercy, and grace of Jesus. And when someone hurts us severely, we can trust in God’s justice. That doesn’t mean that we don’t seek justice from our authorities. For example, God gave us human government for the purpose of upholding justice in society. There are times when we should seek justice through human means. But when that justice is not available or satisfactory, we should trust in Christ. We must trust that God gives grace to the humble but opposes the proud. And that means that God can oppose the unrepentant, and by his grace through the preaching of Christ he can bring them to the point of humility so they repent. But if the other party in conflict remains unrepentant, we can trust that God will not allow unjust suffering to continue forever, because he is coming again to judge the living and the dead.
Because of Christ, we can seek to reconcile with people that have hurt us. By God’s grace, like Christ did, we can take the initiative, humble ourselves, and seek the benefit of the person that has offended us. In these stressful times when conflict is on the rise, may we strive to repent and follow him.When we think about these scriptures with faith in Christ, our views of conflict will begin to change. We will start to see conflict as an opportunity to follow Christ...that points others to the justice, mercy, and grace of Jesus. Click To Tweet
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