Rejecting the Gift

There is an interesting story in 1 Chronicles 19. Following the death of the king of the Ammonites, King David wanted to send some of his men to comfort the crown prince. The deceased king had been a friend to David, and David wanted to show kindness after his death. Today the President may reach out and offer condolences after the passing of another world leader, and David’s gesture may have been something similar to that. They may have been bearing some kind of gift, but they were certainly bearing the well wishes of the Israelite king.

Hanun, the new Ammonite king, was skeptical of the gesture. David was motivated by the love of God, and this kind of love-thy-neighbor mentality would have been completely foreign to a pagan king. Hanun’s advisors gave bad advice, suggesting that David’s messengers were actually spies sent to get a lay of the land. The new king, possibly wanting to send a strong message, opted to humiliate David’s men. He shaved their beards (a huge disgrace in that culture) and cut their robes in such a way as to expose their backsides; they would have to make the trip home essentially with no pants. The text says, “the Ammonites had become a stench to David,” and a war ensued; the battle was started by the Ammonites, but easily won by the Israelites.

The foolishness of not accepting the free gift from the king resulted in disaster. I’m afraid this same scene continues to play out all around the world. The King of Kings has offered a free gift of salvation to sinners, but like Hanun, many have a hard time believing such an offer is really true. Some flat out reject Christ Himself, thinking they are just fine as they are and not in need of forgiveness. Others believe they can handle their plight themselves, believing behavior modification or good deeds will be enough to earn their place in heaven. These thought processes are essentially a rejection of the kind gift of God.

The foolishness of not accepting the free gift from the King results in destruction. Don’t repeat the mistake of Hanun. See God’s offer for what it is: a chance to have your sins forgiven and be in a relationship with the King of the Universe.