Dr. Charles J. Tomlin
Flat Rock-Zion Baptist Partnership
July 1st, 2012
Death has a way of clarifying
things.
This opening chapter in 2 Samuel is a
lamentation, a eulogy, or a funeral dirge.
It was written by David upon the deaths of King Saul and his son,
Jonathan as a song that celebrates their lives and mourns their heroic deaths
in battle.
However, while they lived, theirs was a
complicated relationship. David
respected King Saul and he loved Jonathan.
But King Saul was very jealous of David and tried to kill him several
times. David was popular with the people
and when David became King, Jonathan would lose his inheritance. The whole biblical story reads like one
continuing soap opera filled with as much, love, hate, war, intrigue, ambition
and betrayal.
The positive presentation in this funeral
song reminds one of today’s political climate, where ambitious political
candidates attempt to destroy each other in T.V debates, but are
often seen joking or playing golf with each other in private. Only a few weeks ago, when former president
George Bush appeared at the White House to unveil his newly painted portrait,
he quipped with current president Barak Obama: “Now, when you are making
difficult decisions, just look up at this painting and say to yourself: “What
would George do?” Everybody
laughed. One reported commented: If we
only had warmth and friendly joking like this in real life. But life seems just too complicated.
Life was complicated for Saul, Jonathan
and David too until everything changed. Saul and Jonathan are no longer opponents of David nor
can they become companions. They are history. But instead of relishing in their end, David,
like Abraham Lincoln upon the defeat of the South, decides to honor and mourn
the dead rather than celebrate their demise.
Perhaps David realized the situation was far too complex for any holes
barred-distinction of who was right and who was wrong. It was time to forget the worst and celebrate
the best. It was time to end judgment and make room for grace.
Could we see some parallels between the
complex political situation of David’s day and our own here in America? We live in times where political extremes
are sensationalized by the media for shock factor, but the real shock is that
it is growing an America that is increasingly divided and polarized. If this current direction continues, we may
not want to imagine what it might mean for our future. This story of David’s ability to transcend
the moment and look at the larger picture, may serve as an example of how we
too might learn better political speech and kinder civil behavior in our
negative political climate so we may find God’s grace.
RISING
ABOVE OUR DIFFERENCES
One similarity I find between our times
and David’s is that there are people out there in the world who want us
dead. Last week, a major, historic
moment took place in Egypt, as it became the first Arab nation to
democratically elect a freely chosen Muslim head of state, who has as his
political platform, an anti-American stance.
Of course this is not the first anti-America state in the world, but we
are seeing in our life-time a radical change in the world’s attitude toward America. We are no longer majorly perceived as a “city
on a hill” who might bring hope or be a “light to the nations”, but are seen by
many to be a threat, a place of satanic darkness, a threat, and a danger to
non-democratic regimes. Even though
some of the anti-America rhetoric in the world is radical and extreme to be
sure, nevertheless it is still very important for us to reflect upon the truth
that some people in the world really want us dead, are out there gunning for
us, just like the Philistines wanted Israel dead.
Most all of us remember the terror of
9./11 and how the attack on New York sent shock ways around the world. And even after 12 years of counter-attacks
in our “war on terror”, the attitude toward the America has not recovered. Because of our military might and prowess and
some of the abuses that have occurred, our influence and respect has been reduced
in the world. Now, many peoples see us
at the “big bullies” on the block. Even
if it is not true, the perception is there.
Can we change this attitude?
Should we?
I think that David provided a very
positive beginning to his Kingship by expressing his respect and honor toward his
opposition in this hymn. His words were an admission that: …In life they were loved and admired (2Sa 1:23 NIV). David
realized that before he could rule the nation, he had to prove that he was
bigger than the differences between him and Saul and big enough to rule all his
people. Instead of attacking Saul, or
being glad for his destruction and even though Saul tried to kill him over
several occasions, David never lost his respect for the King, and in this
moment he decided to rise above the situation, to show respect, and even to
celebrate Saul’s great accomplishments.
Instead of seeking to distinguish himself from Saul in politic, he
wanted to show his solidarity. That
took a “big” man and David was that man.
He had nothing to prove and felt that nothing would be gained by being
negative, even toward this one with whom he differed. As a ruler and as a political strategist, David wanted
the people to see him as a person who respected and even admired those he
disagreed with. In this way he was a
political genus, just the kind of ethical, moral and political genius we need
today.
At the heart of our original American
spirit is a motto that the world does not hear much anymore, and we seldom
quote. E Pluribus Unum, which in Latin means, “Out of Many, One” It is an
original founding idea of our country which respects and even builds upon the
value of having many differences among us.
It was not a motto that was used to extinguish the differences, but it
was intended as a motto to bless them and to unify them around the higher
calling of “freedom and justice for all.”
This respect and appreciation for
all people is what America stands for but it is not always appreciated or
perceived in today’s political climate of either/or. Most people think America wants to rule the
world, to run the world, or to police the world. They think this because they see all the
backbiting, the betrayals, the bickering and the disrespect that currently goes
on in our political debates. Can we blame
the world for thinking we are all as just as disrespectful, negative and
impolite to each other as we appear on news channels? You certainly don’t see the respect for
differences or the desire for unity in the airwaves or politic today. We even have differing news channels to
assure each side that they and their viewers keep on believing they always
right. To find a Spirit of fairness or
cooperation and a desire for unity is getting even harder to find in our churches,
isn’t it?
But this extreme “know-it-all” arrogance
is nowhere near the real world we experience.
For example, in a soon to be released movie entitled “Newsroom”, a
well-seasoned reporter, played by Jeff Bridges, scolds a very naive American who
arrogantly suggests that America is better than all other nations. This kind of misguided, misinformed ignorance
and arrogance makes matters worse. When we
persist on overvaluing ourselves while we undervalue others, there is no wonder
other nations see us an overgrown bully in the world. What
kind of people will be become when we cannot tolerate or respect the people who
differ from us or with whom we may disagree?
What happens when we cease to believe that God is bigger than our differences,
or when we feel we have to take matters into our own hands, or we can no longer
endure a land or a community where there are “many” who can still be “one”
without losing the many?
I remember meeting a German woman who
married an America serviceman and came to live in North Carolina. In our first conversation, I asked her about
the last time she had seen her “Vaterland”.
She surprised and shocked me by saying that she hadn’t been back since
she left and was never going back. I
thought it was about the Nazis and the war, but it wasn’t. She told me she wasn’t going back to Germany
because life there was not as simple as it used to be. She said in the town where she lived everyone
used to be German, but now there are all kinds of people living there. “Germany is not Germany anymore.” There are “too many” and they can never be
“true Germany” again.
Isn’t it sad when the person we are is the
only kind of person we can imagine having worth and value to God? America has always been “many” different
kinds of people coming to this nation for a better life and for new
opportunities. We have been known around
the world as a nation that gives freedom to others while respecting differing
cultures, religions and viewpoints. But
in today’s political climate and with growing threats in the world, more fear is
growing than appreciation and respect. We
need more people who can sing David’s song and rise above differences to higher
levels of respect, of learning, and being able to value the “other”
person.
KNOWING
THE REAL ENEMY
As we watch and observe the lack of
civility and loss of public respect for both the “stranger” and the “other” in
our society, what can we Christians do to be “salt and light”? Can we guide the overly negative, divisive,
dying and decaying culture to rediscover civility and respect? Could we, who know one stronger than David,
show a compassionate and unifying spirit among our fellow humans, even among those
with whom we disagree with or consider our own enemies or enemies of the cross? Will we be examples that help our culture take
a different direction than we are now headed, rather than be the kind of
arrogant people who continue the hurt and broaden the shame?
Another example we can see in David’s
hymn is that David keeps before him and before Israel who the true enemy
is. In verse 20 of our text, he reminds
the people that there are enemies out there who would be glad that Saul and
Jonathan are dead: "Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad, lest the daughters of the
uncircumcised rejoice. (2Sa 1:20 NIV).
These were their enemies. Yes, Saul
and Jonathan saw things differently and would rule differently, but still, in
David’s eyes Israel’s King and son remained heroes and were never his ‘real’
enemy. In this song, David keeps the
true enemy in front and never mistakes his brotherly opponents nor his neighborly
opposition as his greatest enemy. Could
we do that? Could we do that in this
culture that tends to so easily disrespect and “demonize” the other, no matter
how close to us they may actually be?
Can we keep the true enemy in view and not get caught up in the great
tragedy of “friendly fire”?
The apostle Paul reminded us for once
and for all who the real enemy is. Paul
had all kinds of people against him, both in the world and in the church, but
he made an observation which people caught up in the political heat of this
world often forget. Do you recall
Paul’s words: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this
world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Eph 6:12 KJV). In this Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis has
an imaginary chief of demons instructing a junior demon is how to get people to
turn from doing good and to turn against each other. “Don’t tell them there is no god,” he
suggests, but tell them “there is no devil.”
Do we know who the true enemy is? Do we realize that when we take sides on
extreme or divisive viewpoints that what pulls us apart from each other that
this is the worst enemy of all? I had a
friend from north Iredell, who was also a seminary student with me and studied with
me in a class on the book of Revelation.
Once, the class got sidetracked onto a discussion about whether there
was a personal devil or Satan alive and loose in the world. There was much discussion and many young, very
idealistic students got carried away in the discussion and ended up saying they
thought the great “evil” of this world was only human inspired. They suggested that there was not any real
supernatural evil force beyond our wrong choices. Thus, they concluded, there was personal
evil, but they suggested there was no devil.
After hearing that conclusion, my friend had had all he could stand. This quiet sort of fellow finally stood up asked
to be able to stand and to a statement.
He said, “Well, if there is no devil, what in Hell are we here for?
I’m not saying that we must go back to
seeing a “devil with a pitch-fork” behind all that is wrong with the
world. But what David understood is
something we do not so easily see, as we observe the evil in the world
today. We often fail to realize that
beyond the evil that opposes us and opposes God, is not the evil “of “ the
other person, but it is always about the evil that that has gotten “into” the
other person. David did not succumb to
demonizing Saul, nor Jonathan, but David kept his focus on who the real enemy
was. And if we want to rise above our
differences and grow up to be the people we have been called to be, as a particular,
God-called, missionary people, we must recognize too that we are still sinners
and still people who capable of great evil or great good, just like anyone
else. As Jesus himself suggested to his disciples, if
we want to rise above our own arrogance with each other, we must learn that the
“splinter” we see another’s eye is nothing compared to the “log” that can get
into our own eye of pride and arrogance.
Our hate for the other, our divisiveness toward to other, our disdain
for another who is different from us or who disagrees with us, or who just sees
things differently, is much more inspired by the devil than most of the
differences we have among ourselves.
MAKING
ROOM FOR GRACE
The final question David’s hymn brings
to me is the question of freedom and grace.
David had complete freedom to express his feelings about Saul in any way
he chose. He could have used his freedom to solidify his power, to prove his
right and calling to rule. But instead
of ruling their minds, using their death to his credit or by claiming the power
of his popularity, David decides to rule the hearts of the people. He makes room for grace. Rather than expressing and resentment, disdain
or contempt for Saul, he celebrates Saul’s contribution, legacy as “blessings” that
will be missed by the people: "Daughters
of Israel, weep for Saul, who clothed you in scarlet and finery, who adorned
your garments with ornaments of gold. "How the mighty have fallen in
battle! Jonathan lies slain on your heights.” (2Sa 1:24-25 NIV)
How different David’s attitude of
respect and grace is compared the divisive climate in our nation as we move
into this election year. Could we be as
respectful for those we disagree with as much as David did? Could we strive to make room for God’s grace
in our own situation? Of course, “America, America, God Shed
His Grace on Thee” is not an easy prayer to pray. Are our current failings in politic, in
religion and in ethics, really worth the freedoms we still have? I can imagine when those Terrorist were
being trained to try to take down our nation on 9/11, many of them were being
told and trained to believe that America is not worth it. In some way, shape or form, they were brainwashed
to believe that America and her great wealth, her great power and her great freedom
is too risky for the rest of the world. So, what did those Terrorists decide to
do? They decided to take us down. It didn’t happen, of course. It still hasn’t happened and probably won’t. Our army is too strong. Our resolve is still great.
But the truth is, most great empires and
great peoples are never taken down by others from the outside. The greatest normally die another way. Most great nations die, not by enemy
opposition from the outside, but most crash and burn from the inside. And this is exactly what disturbs me most
these days. How long will it be until the
failures of freedom, our lack of responsibility and failure to make room for
grace, overtake the values of freedom we’ve had for so long?
What is most important about this David’s
musical tribute to his opposition, is not just his attitude of respect, but is
his firm faith and belief in God’s providence in all things. Even though David had an impossible
relationship with King Saul, David still finds a way to honor Saul and Jonathan
heroes. He names them “the mighty (who) are fallen.” David decides not to dwell on the negative, but on stay
with the positive and thereby, he opens the door for God’s work of providential
grace.
Can we make room for “grace” in our
lives, our world and our own nation? We
live in land that has many differences which often compete against each
other. We have a constitution that
protects not just our viewpoints, our ideas or our opinions, but it also
protects the freedom of others. For this
reason our freedom must always be negotiated.
Without the constant exchange of free ideas and ideals, freedom cannot and
will not work. But in this struggle, we
must always make room for grace, learn to rise above our differences and continue
to recognize the real evil that is against us all. David’s
song, which plays the sound of God’s grace in our complicated world, gives us
an example of respecting others, not only in the time death, but also in difficult
moments life and liberty. If we want
freedom to ring, ring, and to keep on ringing in our ears, we must sing louder
the song of God’s grace into the nasty politics and divisiveness of these times.
Do you recall the film, Amadeus, that
won praises several years ago? It was
the story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. One thing the life of Mozart reminds is our
constant need for God’s amazing song of grace.
We all know that Mozart's music was brilliant; perhaps the most
brilliant ever written or performed. But
we also know that Mozart’s music was much better than he was. This is also true of us also. God’s music of grace played in our lives is much
better than we are. Perhaps this is why
the music continues. As long as we allow
God’s to play his tune of grace in our lives, our lives can find a “sweet sound”. A great hymn, "Jerusalem, My Happy Home”,
puts it this way: There David stands
with harp in hand / As master of the choir; Ten
thousand times that one were blest / That might this music hear.”
Perhaps David knew in
his heart that giving these “fallen heros” a word of grace is the music the
world needs most. Understanding,
respect and grace are the lyrics that freedom must continue to sing in these
days too, or there will be no real music left.
Amen.
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