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 MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2021

NOT ONLY KINDNESS…BUT GOD’S KINDNESS (2 SAMUEL 9)

David’s kindness to Mephibosheth

REFLECTION 

The theme for our reflection is ‘Not Only Kindness…but God’s kindness. Kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. God’s kindness transcends the world’s understanding of kindness. God’s kindness is unconditional in that it looks beyond our familial ties and extend to even strangers and enemies. David teaches us that when you are a beneficiary of God’s kindness you should always learn to share and extend God’s kindness to other people even though they are your family members, close friends or enemy. 

Mephibosheth was Jonathan’s son and King Saul’s grandson. He was lame in both feet (2 Samuel 9:3).  Jonathan was David’s friend but King Saul was Davids enemy. Usually, many people will be faced with the dilemma of whether or not to be kind to a family member of their friend or their enemy. To satisfy their conscience, they will do some act of kindness considering their past friendship but not God’s kindness which is unconditional and has no consideration of the past but is totally centred on love and grace. Many of us consider a number of factors before we show kindness to people but David teaches us that when you a beneficiary of God’s kindness you must bear the image of God in you and extend God’s kindness to other people even though they may be related to your enemies. Now there was a servant of Saul’s household named Ziba. They summoned him to appear before David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” “At your service,” he replied.  The king asked, “Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?” (2 Samuel 9:2-3)

When we occupy positions of power or political offices there is the temptation to amass wealth and become vindictive. Some people amass so much wealth to the extent that they do injustice to the poor by taking away the little that belongs to them. If you become powerful let the fear of God and the love of God guide you in your relationship with your subjects or subordinates. King David was not power-drunk and selfish but he was filled with God’s spirit and kindness, therefore “When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed down to pay him honour. David said, “Mephibosheth!” “At your service,” he replied. “Don’t be afraid,” David said to him, “for I will surely show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan. I will restore to you all the land that belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will always eat at my table. ” (2 Samuel 9:6-7). My dear friend, be a Christian politician, king, or boss with a difference. Show God’s kindness to all and sundry including your enemies or opponents for that is the will of God. The greatest act of kindness God showed to humanity is ” For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). Jesus again teaches us the meaning of God’s kindness when He said that “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. (Luke 6:27-28). The greatest human action that can transform the world and make it a peaceful place is not war and political superiority but the unconditional love and kindness of God as seen in Jesus Christ. Christians must be the light of the world by showing in our daily interaction with people that we possess God’s kindness which is devoid of ethnocentrism, racism and other forms of divisive barriers in the world. Shalom

PRAYER 

Jean-Paul Agidi (Rev)