Life Of David: Loving Your Enemies Series

The Bible is full of passages that describe the mistreatment of others:

Exodus 22:21-28 says, "Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt. Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless. If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not be like a moneylender; charge him no interest. If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, return it to him by sunset, because his cloak is the only covering he has for his body. What else will he sleep in? When he cries out to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate. Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people." Leviticus 19:32-35 also says, "Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD. When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God. Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity."

It seems like in just these two passages alone that God lists many ways that we might mistreat others:

* We use our money to gain power over others by giving it or withholding it according to our whim

* We take things that are not ours

* We curse people to their face and behind their backs

* We do not give respect or seek to take respect from those that have earned it by muddying their reputation

* We treat people like they do not belong and leave them out

* We are dishonest with others

There are two ways that we can look at all of these things. First, we may be the one being mistreated. Perhaps someone is using money to bring stress into your life. Maybe someone has muddied your reputation by something they have said or done. Maybe you have been lied to. We mistreat each other in so many ways it is hard to come up with them all, but you know in your mind and heart what has happened to you. Second, you may be the one dealing out the mistreatment. Perhaps you have taken something that does not belong to you. Perhaps you have said things or done things to hurt someone. We mistreat each other in so many ways it is hard to come up with them all, but you know in your mind and heart what you have done to others.

II. THE PITIFUL PIT STOP (1 Samuel 24:3-4)

Chapter 24 continues with a pit stop along the way. David hides in a cave and Saul and his men stop outside the same exact cave. I can imagine David thinking that his time had run out and Saul had found he and his men. David and his men go far back in the cave. David did not realize that Saul was taking a potty break and did not know he had tracked David down. David’s men encouraged him to kill Saul while he was otherwise occupied. 24:5-6 describe the kind of person David was, "Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. He said to his men, ‘The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD.’"