A friend of mine who runs his own company says he has two rules for his employees: “Rule 1: The boss is always right. Rule 2: If the boss is wrong, refer to Rule 1.” He’s obviously joking, but these words do reflect the way many of us would like to live.
An “I can do no wrong” mentality would have resonated with King David at a certain time in his life. For he lied, stole, committed adultery, betrayed and murdered a friend, and yet lived as if he had done nothing wrong. So the prophet Nathan had a difficult task to complete (2 Samuel 12:1): How do you confront the most powerful man in the kingdom and get him to confess crimes he had willfully concealed? Such a confrontation could have been considered a capital offense against the king.
So Nathan came to David with a story about a poor shepherd and his beloved pet lamb (2 Samuel 12:3). It was common for shepherds to have a special lamb as a pet. Having been a shepherd (1 Samuel 17:15), David would have felt the strong emotional bond between the man and his lamb (2 Samuel 12:5-6).
Nathan forced David and all of us to consider the horrors of killing a pet. The gratuitous slaying of the innocent lamb exposed the repulsiveness of David’s sin, and it also pointed to the murder of another innocent beloved Lamb 1,000 years later. This death exposes the ugliness of our own sins (1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 John 2:2).
David concealed his sins (Psalm 32:3). But they still were “piled up before God” (Isaiah 59:12). God sees our secret sins (Psalm 90:8). We can’t simply live as if we’ve done nothing wrong (Jeremiah 2:35, Jeremiah 17:9-10). Let’s confess our sins today and receive God’s mercy and forgiveness (Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:8-10).
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: John 11:37-57
More:
Read Psalm 32:1-11 and Psalm 51:1-19 to see what David experienced when he refused to confess his sins. Note also the blessings that come with confessed sin.
Next:
What sin have you tried to hide? Confess it now and claim the promises of 1 John 1:9.
ehdlive on August 19, 2013 at 2:20 am
O what a wonderful wisdom Nathan has. Our generation today is in dire need of NATHANs who have the Spirit-inspired prowess to hit the target in just one strike. Using a common pet as a story, a profound and indomitable message was delivered and internalized effectively by King David that caused his eyes to be opened. Today’s modern-day NATHANs are badly needed.
mike wittmer on August 19, 2013 at 9:35 am
Thank you for this convicting word, K.T. How tragic that we often feel more sympathy for an animal than we do for another human being! May God give us compassion for all.
One of my favorite preachers once said that he wonders how Nathan said the words, “You are the man!” It makes a difference if he said it angrily or in tears. Interesting thought on how we should confront sin too.
tom felten on August 19, 2013 at 9:50 am
Good stuff, KT. I’m grateful for the Holy Spirit’s convicting work in our lives—a work that leads to godly remorse and repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10). Sin either drives us into God’s arms where we can repent and experience restoration or away from Him as we embrace pride and denial.
roxanne robbins on August 19, 2013 at 11:24 am
Thanks for the good reminder of our need to confess our sins and receive God’s mercy, K.T.!
I watched a movie this weekend by Walking on Water Ministries called “Noah’s Arc.” The surfers’ testimonies of coming to Christ were powerful. One young man described how God “repaired” his heart. Indeed, as we confess and repent, God restores.
winn collier on August 27, 2013 at 3:57 pm
this story always stops me short.