“Be Strong And
Brave”
When
King David heard all this, he was furious. And Absalom never said a word to
Amnon, either good or bad; he hated Amnon because he had disgraced his sister
Tamar.
Two years later, when Absalom’s
sheepshearers were at Baal Hazor near the border of
Ephraim, he invited all the king’s sons to come there. Absalom
went to the king and said, “Your servant has had shearers
come. Will the king and his attendants please join me?”
“No, my
son,” the king replied. “All of us should not go; we would only be a burden to
you.” Although Absalom urged him, he still refused to
go but gave him his blessing.
Then
Absalom said, “If not, please let my brother Amnon come with us.”
The
king asked him, “Why should he go with you?” But Absalom
urged him, so he sent with him Amnon and the rest of
the king’s sons.
Absalom ordered his men, “Listen! When Amnon
is in high spirits from drinking wine and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ then kill him. Don’t be afraid. Haven’t I
given you this order? Be strong and brave.” So Absalom’s
men did to Amnon what Absalom
had ordered. Then all the king’s sons got up, mounted their mules and fled.
2 Samuel 13:21-29
Discipline
must begin before character is permanently bent and twisted. Eli the priest had
two sons he failed to discipline. When their wickedness got so bad that he
could no longer ignore it, he tried gentle rebuke. It was too late. God judged
Eli’s housed forever for the iniquity of his sons making themselves
vile and no restraints placed on them.
Being
straightened out is painful, but being left crooked will ultimately hurt even
more.
God’s love confronts and corrects.
Our Daily Bread –