Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her. Amnon said to her, "Get up and get out!" – 2 Samuel 13:15

Today's Scripture Reading (June 11, 2022): 2 Samuel 13

American Romance writer Danielle Steel argues that "lust is temporary, romance can be nice, but love is the most important thing of all. Because without love, lust and romance will always be short-lived." The truth is that romance is really about emotions, and lust is more about power than it is about love, and emotions and power are always transitory; they are never permanent.

Amnon argued that he loved his sister, Tamar. He loved her so much that he was willing to violate cultural restrictions and go against whatever others might think; Amnon loved Tamar so much that he was ready to make a fool of himself in his pursuit of her. He loved her so much that he would go to great lengths to possess her. And that should have been the first warning that it wasn't love that Amnon was feeling. Possessing someone is never something that follows love. What Amnon was experiencing was something more destructive and temporary. What Amnon was experiencing was lust.

Amnon came by it honestly. His father, David, had also suffered through some of the same issues with his lusts. It was lust that led David into his most serious sins; his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah. But at least David seemed to have the capacity to attempt to control his lusts. And with Bathsheba, Israel's Poet King also recognized his responsibility to the object of his lust, and it was that feeling of responsibility that developed into a true love.

Amnon wasn't as lucky. Once he achieved what he wanted, his lust turned into hate. For a moment, he had power over Tamar. But after he had raped her, it seemed that Tamar now held power over him, which was not something that Amnon could take. The temporary nature of lust was revealed, and as the power of the moment slipped away, all that was left was conquest and hate.

After studying this passage, R. Payne Smith (1818–1895) offered some good advice for the young girls of his generation that still provides good advice for the young girls of ours.

"Let me give a friendly, fatherly tip unto all of you young girls, who may be in the position of Tamar, in that you have some fellow who is really pressing hard to have sex with you. He is the soul of kindness. He is very attentive. He calls all the time. He opens the door for you. He brings you flowers, but he's pushing hard for a sexual relationship. Don't give in. If you really love him, make him wait until you're married. If he really loves you, he will. Over, and over, time and again, the fellow will press and press until he has taken you to bed, and that's the last you see or hear from him. You're no longer a challenge. He's conquered, and he's off for new conquests. If you really love him and want him, make him wait. If you really love God, and love yourself, make him wait." (R. Payne Smith)

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 2 Samuel 14