It's Complicated (S2): WK 4 - WED
2 Samuel 12:1-5
So the LORD sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a
certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many
sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought.
He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own
plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. One
day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from
his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for
his guest.” David was furious. “As surely as the LORD lives,” he vowed, “any man who
would do such a thing deserves to die!"
Psalm 51:7-11
Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Oh, give me back my joy again;
you have broken me—
now let me rejoice.
Don’t keep looking at my sins.
Remove the stain of my guilt.
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
Have you ever felt your face flush with embarrassment when you realize how wrong something you did was? Maybe someone repeats what you just said, and you respond, “When you put it like that, it sounds awful,” even though all they did was echo your words. This is David’s situation as he sits before Nathan.
Unaware of where things will end, David invites the prophet into his court and listens as his guest tells a story. Nathan is wise. He doesn’t just blurt out the king’s faults. Instead, he crafts a narrative that quickly sparks empathy in anyone listening. David leans forward with interest at each new detail. As the story reaches its climax, he can no longer hide his anger. “That presumptuous thief deserves to die,” he yells. There it is, the mirror’s glance that shows how far you’ve strayed from your original intention. David’s stomach drops at Nathan’s conclusion, “You are that man.”
It's a tough moment, coming face to face with your selfishness, rebellion, and sin. Somehow, the shock of Nathan’s reproach causes the king to bypass the common practice of denial and excuse-making and go directly to confession.
Do you have people in your life who have the character and permission to tell you the truth? Is there someone close to you with enough integrity to risk your friendship rather than watch you destroy the important things in life? Or have you carefully surrounded yourself with people who are either too weak to confront your flaws or have such obvious problems of their own that they couldn’t risk damaging their own glass house?
When someone offers you a message that feels critical, slow down and think about what you might learn from it. And when you're delivering tough feedback to someone who has strayed from the right path, consider holding back on direct accusations for a moment. Use stories, metaphors, and questions to help your friend listen without becoming defensive and to give the Holy Spirit space for conviction.
1. Who are your five closest friends outside of your family? Do they realize how close
you feel? Should you consider telling them?
2. Who have you given permission to tell you difficult truths?
3. What is something you've noticed in a friend that worries you? How can you use
Nathan’s example to craft a conversation?
4. What has someone told you lately that you should spend more time thinking about?
What would you like to say to God about that?
So the LORD sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a
certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. The rich man owned a great many
sheep and cattle. The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought.
He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own
plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. One
day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from
his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for
his guest.” David was furious. “As surely as the LORD lives,” he vowed, “any man who
would do such a thing deserves to die!"
Psalm 51:7-11
Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Oh, give me back my joy again;
you have broken me—
now let me rejoice.
Don’t keep looking at my sins.
Remove the stain of my guilt.
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
Have you ever felt your face flush with embarrassment when you realize how wrong something you did was? Maybe someone repeats what you just said, and you respond, “When you put it like that, it sounds awful,” even though all they did was echo your words. This is David’s situation as he sits before Nathan.
Unaware of where things will end, David invites the prophet into his court and listens as his guest tells a story. Nathan is wise. He doesn’t just blurt out the king’s faults. Instead, he crafts a narrative that quickly sparks empathy in anyone listening. David leans forward with interest at each new detail. As the story reaches its climax, he can no longer hide his anger. “That presumptuous thief deserves to die,” he yells. There it is, the mirror’s glance that shows how far you’ve strayed from your original intention. David’s stomach drops at Nathan’s conclusion, “You are that man.”
It's a tough moment, coming face to face with your selfishness, rebellion, and sin. Somehow, the shock of Nathan’s reproach causes the king to bypass the common practice of denial and excuse-making and go directly to confession.
Do you have people in your life who have the character and permission to tell you the truth? Is there someone close to you with enough integrity to risk your friendship rather than watch you destroy the important things in life? Or have you carefully surrounded yourself with people who are either too weak to confront your flaws or have such obvious problems of their own that they couldn’t risk damaging their own glass house?
When someone offers you a message that feels critical, slow down and think about what you might learn from it. And when you're delivering tough feedback to someone who has strayed from the right path, consider holding back on direct accusations for a moment. Use stories, metaphors, and questions to help your friend listen without becoming defensive and to give the Holy Spirit space for conviction.
1. Who are your five closest friends outside of your family? Do they realize how close
you feel? Should you consider telling them?
2. Who have you given permission to tell you difficult truths?
3. What is something you've noticed in a friend that worries you? How can you use
Nathan’s example to craft a conversation?
4. What has someone told you lately that you should spend more time thinking about?
What would you like to say to God about that?
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