Reaction to a problem

Charles R. Swindoll said “Life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% of how you react to it”.

In the parable of the unmerciful servant, look at how this man reacted to his problem.

28 “But when that servant went out, hefound one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

As soon as he found his servant he grabbed him and choked him. He demanded him to pay back!

This means his servant was bothering in his mind for long time. As soon as he saw him he exploded. He reacted!

Is there anyone in your mind who is bothering you day and night? Shall I tell you a simple truth? People are people. No matter what end of the planet you go there will always be someone to frustrate you. There will always be someone to stress you and take the life out of you. No matter what job you move to there will always be someone to frustrate you. No matter what church you go to there will always be someone with an uncomfortable character. No matter how many times you divorce and marry someone else there will always be days you will be unhappy with your spouse. Because PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE! You cannot change them.

The best you can do is, don’t carry them on your mind and stop taking them everywhere you go. Otherwise one day you will explode and you will react just like this man reacted.

1 Samuel 25 tells a beautiful story about David, Nabal and Abigail.

While David was in wilderness he moved close to a place where a wealthy man called Nabal lived. Nabal had a wife called Abigail and the bible says, “Abigail was an intelligent and beautiful woman, but her husband was surly and mean in his dealings”.

This sets the context of the story. David was voluntarily protecting Nabal’s sheeps and the shepherds from the thieves. So one day he sent his men to Nabal’s house to get some festive gifts. But Nabal insulted David’s men and turned them away. For a warrior like David, this was a great embarrassment. So he heard the news and immediately reacted to the insult. He took his men to Nabal’s house to kill him. Abigail heard this news that David is coming with his men to kill her husband and she acted quickly. She loaded her donkeys with gifts and foods and went ahead to meet David on his way. She stopped David and said this

“Pardon your servant, my lord, and let me speak to you; hear what your servant has to say. 25 Please pay no attention, my lord, to that wicked man Nabal. He is just like his name—his name means Fool, and folly goes with him. And as for me, your servant, I did not see the men my lord sent. Please forgive your servant’s presumption. When the Lord has fulfilled for my lord every good thing he promised concerning him and has appointed him ruler over Israel, my lord will not have on his conscience the staggering burden of needless bloodshed or of having avenged himself.”

In short she was simply saying, “Don’t do this and get a bad name for yourself. You are going to be a King one day. This act is far below your status and calling.” That’s incredible! Abigail saw something in David’s life that David couldn’t see.

Look at what David said to Abigail:

David said to Abigail, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, who has sent you today to meet me. May you be blessed for your good judgment and for keeping me from bloodshed this day and from avenging myself with my own hands. Otherwise, as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has kept me from harming you, if you had not come quickly to meet me, not one male belonging to Nabal would have been left alive by daybreak.”

If it was not for Abigail, David would have reacted to the insult he faced. He was about to commit a worst mistake in his career by reacting to Nabal. Abigail is a beautiful picture of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes when we interpret things too quickly and when we are about to make a false judgement God stops us. He reminds us about our calling and our future.

So never react to situations. Wait for what God is saying, interpret things wisely and don’t be too quick to judge people.

Now fast forward David’ life. Look how life’s experience has changed David’s character. After many years, many battles and many struggles, David is now the King of Israel. Infact he ended up marrying Abigail! He is now facing a family battle. His own son Absalaom is planning to take his throne and kill him.

That’s a painful experience for David. His own son is trying to kill him! But if you want to live for God be ready to face rejection from people, from your own people. The more closer you get to God, the crowd around you will become lesser. People will abandon you. Paul was alone in prison. John was alone in Patmos. Elijah was alone in wilderness. Moses was alone in the desert. Job was alone in Uz. Jesus was alone in Gethsemene. So if you face rejection from people let it not surprise you.

But David is now a man of grace and he refused to fight against his son Absalom. So he flees from the city along with his men. While he was fleeing, a man called Shimei started cursing him and started throwing stones at David. He insulted David. This is not the same old “adrenalin filled” warrior David but this is KING David. This is not the same old David who reacted to Nabal’s insult. God has changed him. Look at how he responds.

Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head.” David then said to Abishai and all his officials, “My son, my own flesh and blood, is trying to kill me. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. 12 It may be that the Lord will look upon my misery and restore to me his covenant blessing instead of his curse today.”

What a transformation! This is how God changes people. That’s the mark of a graceful man. David refused to fight against Shimei. He refused to fight small battles. He knew that he is now a King and he cannot waste his time fighting Shimei.

When you live for God, people like Shimei will throw stones at you. Let it not bother you. People like Shimei will criticise you and will discourage you. Let it not bother you. It is interesting to note that Shimei also used some “religious” words and accused David. Sometimes people can use “religious” words and try to prove that you are wrong. As long as your relationship with God is strong you don’t have to worry about such accusations.

Don’t waste your time fighting Shimei’s in your life. Don’t stoop down to low level from where God has called you to be. Remember you are a King and Shimei is too small an enemy for you.

Look at what David did. “So David and his men continued along the road while Shimei was going along the hillside opposite him, cursing as he went and throwing stones at him and showering him with dirt.”

Don’t ever react to people like Shimei or Nabal. They are too small for you. Be a man/woman of grace and refuse to fight small battles. May be someone is bothering you in your workplace or church or your relationship with your spouse is bit stressed and tensed. May be you are carrying people in your mind everywhere you go. You are thinking about them when you go to sleep. You are thinking about them when you wake up. They steal your time and energy. They steal your peace. They steal your joy.

But that’s not how you are supposed to live. You are supposed to live like King David and ignore Shimei. You are supposed to ignore stones of Shimei in your life. God wants to remind that you have been anointed as a king and there is a great calling before you.

The bible says “A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.”

God is saying “Stones of Shimei will not fall on you. It will fall at your side. It will not come near you. Don’t bother about people throwing stones at you. Don’t carry people in your mind. Refuse to fight small battles. Surrender them to the Lord and move forward just like David did.”