Today's Scripture Reading (May 29, 2025): 1 Samuel 19
There are some conversations
that I just want to avoid. The problem, at least from my point of view, is that
while I love the conversation, I find that disagreements on these subjects can
too often end a relationship. So, unless I am asked a specific question, I
forego the conversation in favor of the relationships. Maybe I lack the courage
of my convictions. If you want to talk about Donald Trump, our responsibility
as Christians to the least of these and the stranger living in our midst,
prophecy, separatist movements in various parts of the nation, or even the
LGBTQ community and the Christian Church, I would love to have the conversation
as long as we can agree to disagree before the conversation without destroying
our relationship. But too often these topics, and many more, seem to carry an
emotional reaction that we demand an agreement with our point of view if we are
to remain friends. And if that is the reaction, sometimes I would rather sit
the conversation out than risk hurting the relationship. And yet, I keep
writing on some of these complicated subjects because I think they are part of essential
conversations we must have.
The time will always come
when we have to stand up and be counted on the crucial issues of life. I do
believe that we have a responsibility toward the least of these and that there
needs to be a balance of the world's finances. For all of the haves, and I am
counted among that group, there is a time coming, and it might not be that far
away, when people from the middle latitudes of the earth are going to swarm to
the north and the south because the climate in that part of the world has
become unlivable. Many of you doubt that, but I am convinced it is a possible
future. The human race has done such a bad job at the task that God gave us to "care
for the earth" that climate refugees are going to become more common as
the next few years go by. We can defend the environment now or lament over the
significant coming changes later. You might not share these ideas with me, but
they are important enough for me to feel the need to share.
Jonathan has a conversation
with his dad. The subject was David. Jonathan knew that this was going to be an
uncomfortable conversation. It was likely a discussion Jonathan would have
preferred to avoid, but he knew he couldn't afford to keep silent. Maybe we can't
lose sight of why this was a meaningful conversation into which Jonathan had to
wade. The growing division between Saul and David was going to hurt both men.
David was going to have to go into exile and make some deals with Israel's
enemies that he would prefer not to make. He would also be separated from his
family for their protection. None of this would be good for David.
Saul needed his top general.
Even though God had already decreed that David would take Jonathan's place on
the throne, Saul still needed David. And David had already committed not to
raise his sword against the current King of Israel.
Sometimes we need to have the
conversations we would rather not have. It is part of being an adult. If only
we could learn to receive these messages and see them for what they are,
efforts to encourage us. But even that was beyond what Saul could do.
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading:
1 Samuel 20
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