Walking the Fine Line Between a Good Guy and an Outlaw
1 Sam. 21-22
Most of us are familiar with Robin Hood, the hero of legend, books, TV, and movies. He and his band of merry men wandered Sherwood Forest, playing cat and mouse with the Sheriff of Nottingham and the evil Prince John. Technically he was an outlaw, but he is more famous for “robbing from the rich, and giving to the poor.” Do you ever wonder how a thief qualifies as a hero? Is stealing OK when you steal from bad people and give it to good people? Robin Hood is one of those characters who walk a fine line between being a good guy and an outlaw.
I think a lot of us walk that line. I don’t know anybody who is either totally evil, or absolutely good. I think most of us are a mixture. We have moments when we behave pretty well. But there are times when the outlaw peeks out and we cross the fine line between right and wrong.
I want to tell you about a man in the Bible who walked that fine line Robin Hood and you and I walk. The people of Israel probably saw him the way you see Robin Hood- technically he was an outlaw, but really a good guy. I think God put this story in the Bible to teach us something not just about David, but about you and I. How do you become more of a hero, and less of an outlaw? Let’s learn some lessons from an episode in David’s found in 1 Sam. 21-22. I want to see 3 lessons we can learn here:
I. WHEN GOOD GUYS LIE, THEY ACT LIKE OUTLAWS. (21:1-15)
One of the easiest ways to tell a good guy from an outlaw is to see whether or not they tell you the truth- right? Yet here is the hero of this story- a man after God’s own heart- lying like an outlaw not once, but twice! He lies to the priest (who would be the Friar Tuck if David were Robin Hood) and he deceives the King of Gath (he might make a good Sheriff of Nottingham!) In these verses, David shows us that when God guys lie, they act like outlaws. He shows us:
a. There is never a good reason to lie. (v. 1-6) Why did David lie to Ahimilech? Was he scared the priest wouldn’t help him? Did he think he would turn him over to King Saul? Is he trying to protect Ahimilech? We don’t really know. We know he needed food and weapons- both of which he gets from Ahimilech by lying to him. But was David justified in his lie? Some scholars say David didn’t lie when he said he was on a mission for the king; he just didn’t say which king. He was talking about God, not Saul, they say. I don’t buy that. David certainly knew which king Ahimilech thought he was talking about. The fact is David lied, and he didn’t just lie to anybody- he lied to God’s priest!
My question is not did David lie? (he did) or why did David lie (that’s doesn’t really matter), but is it ever right to lie? The answer is no and the reason why is God says it’s wrong to lie.
Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.
A lie is an offense against the very nature of the God of Truth. Better to say nothing, better to suffer the consequences, than to lie. No matter what the circumstances, no matter what the danger, David had no right to lie. Unfortunately lies often travel farther than we intend, because
b. Somebody listens when you lie. (v. 7-9) Somebody just happens to be in Nob thay day: Doeg is King Saul’s chief herdsman (v. 7). For a split second Doeg and David’s eyes meet, and David thinks Not good. This guy is going to rat on me. But he lets it go- a decision that will later come back to haunt him. When you lie, you never know who is listening!
Armed with food and a sword, David ends up but in the city of Gath and there he teaches us
c. Deceit will make you act like a fool. (v. 10-15) This is not the smartest. David strolls into town trying to stay inconspicuous. One problem: does anybody remember where Goliath’s hometown was? You guessed it- he was from Gath. These guys not only remember the sword- they still remember the song (cf. vs. 11.) David is brought before the Achish, king of Gath. What can he do now? He starts acting crazy. Literally, like a Looney Tune. He foams at the mouth, scratches on the door, and pleads insanity. And it works. Achish says he has enough crazy people to deal with, he doesn’t need one more. So he lets him go.
Now I know what you’re thinking- that was pretty smart of David! But let me ask you this: could you see some other hero trying this to get away from the bad guys? Indiana Jones? Batman? The Lone Ranger? Zorro? No way! They would have grabbed somebody’s sword and took on the whole Philistine army. But not David. Why? Because this good guy has decided to use deception as his weapon, and even though he gets away, he has to act like an idiot to do it! Because deceit will always make you act like a fool.
It’s never right to lie. I know my mind and your mind imagine a thousand exceptions to that command, but none of them hold water with God. Good people do lie, but when they do, they are acting like outlaws- like people who really don’t know God. You will never please God unless you tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. You are really asking for trouble when you do like David did, and make lying your habitual way of dealing with life. There is no surer way to act like a fool than to make use lying and deceit to escape unpleasant or painful situations. It will always catch up with you- just as it eventually catches up with David.
A woman stops at a grocery store to buy a chicken. The butcher reaches into a barrel, grabs the last chicken he has, puts it on the scales and tells the woman its weight. She says "I really need a bit more chicken than that," she said. "Do you have any larger ones?" Without a word, the butcher puts the chicken back into the barrel, gropes around as though finding another, pulls the same chicken out, and places it on the scales. "This chicken weighs one pound more," he announces. The woman pondered for a second, and then says, "Okay. I’ll take them both."
Telling the truth cuts down on the need for later explanations. Second lesson:
II. WHEN OUTLAWS CARE, THEY ACT LIKE GOOD GUYS. (22:1-5)
Outlaws are notoriously selfish. I suppose one of the qualifications for being a criminal is that you look out for yourself above anybody else. As long as you get what you want, you forget the rest. A tender heart doesn’t seem to fit in well with the character of an outlaw.
But this outlaw is different. Like Robin Hood, David does some pretty bad things, but somehow you get the feeling his heart is in the right place. He teaches us something about outlaws like you and me who really want to be good guys:
a. They care about the downtrodden. (v. 1-2) When David runs to the cave at Adullam, a
group of people start to gather around him. His family, of course, probably knows that if Saul can’t get David, he might go after them, so they get out of town. Others who are about to be sold because they cannot pay their debts join him, or who are in some other kind of trouble join him. The discontented= bitter of soul also come- those whom Saul has alienated with his paranoid behavior. Not exactly the cream of the crop here, but notice that they are all welcomed as part of David’s group. Remember, David is not trying to gather an army to fight Saul. In fact, he refuses to attack Saul, because he is God’s chosen king. Yet even with his own plate heaped with trouble, he makes room for these people who are willing to follow him. He could have sent them home, told them they weren’t his problem, but instead his attitude was similar to one of his later descendants- a man named Jesus Who the Bible says:
Matthew 9:36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.
David cares about the downtrodden, but he shows himself to be a good guy because
b. They care for those they love. (v. 3-4) The Bible doesn’t tell us how old David’s dad and
mom were now, but they must have been too old to live a life on the run for their lives. So David makes a trip to Moab- you might remember his grandmother Ruth was from there- and drops his parents off in the safekeeping of the king of Moab. There they will be safe from Saul until God’s plan for David plays out. It’s really a touching scene here, as these two elderly parents says goodbye to their youngest son, not knowing if they will ever see him again or not. Yet David cares enough to see that they are taken care of and kept safe from danger. He shows that he really is a good guy by caring about his loved ones. But the most important way David shows he is a good guy is
c. They care about God’s Word. (v. 5) David returns to his fortress and there is a message
waiting for him from God. The prophet Gad tells David, you and your men have to leave here, and return home to Judah. Understand that David is in a very good place militarily speaking. He is in a stronghold, or fortress, probably with rock walls, meant to withstand a siege.
Now he is told to leave the safety of the fortress for the open country- the forest of Hereth, near his home- the first place Saul will come looking for him. To a man who knows he may have to fight a war, this doesn’t make sense. But to David, there is no choice- God has spoken, and he does what God says to do.
One of the biggest differences between a good guy and an outlaw is the condition of their heart. You might make a lot of mistakes- as we all do- but if you don’t get anything else right, you better get two things right: you need to love people, and you need to love God.
That doesn’t mean your mistakes don’t matter, or that God doesn’t care about your sin. But it does mean that love can help you overcome your mistakes and failures.
1 Peter 4:8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
God can work with you when you have a sincere desire to love others, and love Him. He can help you love even your enemies, and if you truly love Him, you will become better at obeying Him. But without love- if you don’t care about anybody but yourself- you will live like an outlaw, alone and alienated from everyone.
Hate is not the opposite of love—apathy is.- Rollo May
If you and I don’t practice caring for others and for God’s Word, then we may become more religious, but we will never become more righteous. We might do a lot of good things, but we will leave undone the most important thing. We may look like good guys, but really just be well-dressed outlaws.
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you examine your heart today. Is your heart tender towards others? Toward God? Maybe you need to ask the Lord to soften your heart.
If you haven’t got any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble. - Bob Hope
Methodist preacher Charles Allen tells of a little child who went on an errand for her mother. She was late coming back, and her mother asked for an explanation. The child explained that a playmate of hers down the street had fallen and broken her doll and that she had helped her. The mother wondered what she could do to help mend the broken doll. The little girl made a marvelous reply, “I just sat down and helped her cry.”*
The good guys care about people, and about God. One more lesson:
III. WHEN YOU CROSS THE LINE, SOMEBODY PAYS THE PRICE (22:6-23)
Notice the irony: the outlaw is sitting on the throne, while the good guy is on the run. King Saul has passed the point of no return; all he can do now is do the devil’s work. David has made mistakes, but he realizes them, admits them, and does what he can to make it right. Both men have crossed the line between right and wrong, between the good guy and the outlaw, and they demonstrate that when you cross the line, somebody always pays the price.
a. It may be you (v. 6-19) Saul is a pitiful wreck of a man here. He has the army, he has the
authority, he has the kingdom, but he can’t catch Robin Hood. He sits on his throne, feeling sorry for himself, accusing everybody- even his own son- of being on David’s side. Nobody cares about him. He tries to bribe his own kinfolks (the tribe of Benjamin) into doing something to help him catch his enemy. He is reaping the miserable harvest of his rebellious heart.
David, too will pay a price for his lies- the guilt of knowing that he was the reason for the death of innocent men, women, and children. Unlike Saul, however, David will confess his sin, and do what he can to help make it right. Like these two men, when you and I cross the line between the good guy and the outlaw, we will personally suffer the consequences. But what is more tragic, when you cross that line, not only will you suffer,
It may be someone else.(v. 20-23) Finally Doeg speaks up and plays the stool pigeon, accusing Ahimilech of helping David. Since Saul can’t get David, he calls for Ahimilech. The old priest and all of his family appear before Saul, but he never stands a chance. Saul refuses to listen to reason, and orders all of God’s priests to be executed. When none of the Israelites obey, Doeg does what Saul says and more- he exterminates the whole village of Nob, every man, woman, child, and animal. A whole town full of people die, most of them probably never even knowing why.
Now let’s be clear: Saul is directly responsible for this horrible atrocity. He has let his heart become so hard, he doesn’t mind killing innocent people- even daring to kill God’s priests! He has gone so far away from God there is no coming back.
David is indirectly responsible for the death of all these people. If he had not come to Ahimilech, if he had not lied, if he had taken out Doeg when he had the chance- so many ifs but none of his regrets brought any of those dead people back to life. David does what he can-he admits his guilt, both to man, and presumably to God. He takes the only surviving son of Ahimilech under his protection. But he shows us that even if you are a good guy, when you choose to cross the line between right and wrong, there are consequences, both for yourself, and for others.
Galatians 6:7-8 7Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
My friends, you and I had better learn the lesson soon and learn the lesson well: you can’t do wrong and get by. Your sin affects you and it affects others. Your choices will either make you or break you, and very often, they will make or break those closest to you.
Ask the victim of a crime if the sin of other people affects us.
Ask the parents who never bring their kids to church, never teach them about the Lord, and then wonder why they grow up empty and alienated.
Ask the alcoholic who thinks his drinking doesn’t hurt anybody else. Look in the eyes of his wife, his kids, his friends, and you will see pain and suffering.
Ask the husband or wife whose spouse is unfaithful, whose heart is broken, who finds it almost impossible to trust anyone else.
When you choose to cross that line between good and evil, between being a good guy and an outlaw, somebody will pay. You can be forgiven, but you cannot erase the consequences. If you are drifting dangerously close to disobeying God, then let me warn you- repent, turn around, and come to Jesus. There are some things you do that cannot be undone.
A young man had a terrible falling out with a neighboring farmer. One night, in an act of cruel vengeance, he crept through the neighboring fields, sowing the seeds of a persistent, virulent weed. The weeds sprang up, and no amount of effort would eradicate them.
Years passed, and eventually the young man fell in love with the farmer’s daughter. He married her and, at length, inherited the farm. He later confessed that he was spending the rest of his life reaping what he had sown in that one act of angry folly.
When you try to walk the fine line between good and evil, somebody always pays. But there is an alternative:
President Ronald Reagan as a boy was once brought to a cobbler for a pair of new shoes. The cobbler asked young Reagan, “Do you want square toes or round toes?” Unable to decide, Reagan didn’t answer, so the cobbler gave him a few days. Several days later the cobbler saw Reagan on the street and asked him again what kind of toes he wanted on his shoes. Reagan still couldn’t decide, so the shoemaker replied, “Well, come by in a couple of days. Your shoes will be ready.” When the future president did so, he found one square-toed and one round-toed shoe! “I learned right then and there,” Reagan said later, “if you don’t make your own decisions, someone else will.” -
An old man once stood before a huge multitude of people who were trying to walk the fine line between good and evil. He challenged them with these words:
Joshua 24:15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,…But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
My friend, where do you stand this morning? Are you walking a thin line between being a Good Guy/Girl and being an outlaw? That might sound romantic if you’re talking about Robin Hood, but that is no way to live your life. Isn’t it time you chose a side?
Jesus invites you to choose Him today. You don’t have to live torn between two worlds. You don’t have to carry that burden of guilt and shame. You can take a stand for the Lord, and when you do, He promises He will stand with you.
