Bathsheba
Friday, June 25, 2021
Not Judging
From the HARPERCOLLINS STUDY BIBLE (633): “At this point 2 Samuel 11.2-12.25 tells the story of David, Bathsheba, Uriah, and the prophetic condemnation by Nathan before reporting the conclusion of the battle with the Ammonites. Since Chronicles idealizes David’s and Solomon’s work for the temple and its ritual life, it would not have served its purposes to rehearse the sins of the United Monarchy. We may be sure that the Chronicler and his readers were well aware of these negative incidents”.
Evil sneaks up on us when things are going well, when we are most confident and assured and most likely to have left God for a time. God accompanies us in our good times and bad. We may not feel God’s presence but God is with us all the same.
Thoughts from Scripture . . .
John 15:18: If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first.
Wisdom 2:12: Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training.
Jeremiah 18:18: The people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem said, “Come, let us contrive a plot against Jeremiah”.
Matthew 20:26: Whoever wishes to be great among you shall be you servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.
Matthew 20:22: Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?
The Chronicler knows, as we read in our notes, that David has sinned. So have we all.
Jesus tells his apostles that leading is serving. This Message we have heard many times.
Jeremiah witnesses to the treachery that lies in wait for the faithful. This reality we have lived.
Jesus reminds us that the world hates goodness. This rejection we have felt.
Jesus asks us if we can drink from his chalice. This question we have heard within ourselves.
Judging. Not judging. It is difficult for us to refrain from forming ideas for or against individuals or groups but it is essential for us to refrain from judging. We know that the measure that we measure is measured out to us. Ultimately, we have only this to ask ourselves: Can we live up to the harsh yardstick against which we measure others?
Meeks, Wayne A., Gen. Ed. HARPERCOLLINS STUDY BIBLE (NRSV). New York, New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1989. 633. Print. (Meeks)
To learn more about Bathsheba’s story, click on the image above or go to: https://bible.wikia.org/wiki/Bathsheba
Adapted from a March 23, 2011 favorite.
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