Helpful People

Centuries ago there may have been some tourists at Jerusalem’s gates, but most people going through then had business in the city. Those were the people targeted by Absalom in his bid to destroy his father’s rule.  He would speak to those seeking fairness and judgment:

And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. (2 Samuel 15:3 KJV)

Doesn’t that sound good?  Looking out for those seeking justice, acknowledging that the king was too busy to see to everything, right? All that was needed was for someone – perhaps Absalom – be deputized to do the king’s business.

Why, he even volunteered:

Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! (2 Samuel 15:4 KJV)

Look what he could do for all the people!  And, in the midst of doing all that good, he would be helping the king, too. While in truth, he was undermining.

And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel. (2 Samuel 15:6 KJV)

As we’re going through political chaos, we need to remember that self-serving volunteers are still out to steal the hearts of men.

I deplore our methodology of choosing our nation’s leadership. It appears that our nation is irreversibly divided on basic issues polarizing – but more than two poles! Every special interest group demonizes their opposite.  If their opposition is not organized into a group, one begins to coalesce in response to the demonization.

Our elections can be bought, sold to largest PAC, unlimited by the amount of individual donations. All designed to steal the hearts of the people.

At least a few things have changed since then.  Elections in our country no longer result in assassinations and war within our country. Unfortunately, the change has not occurred in all nations. Could it recur in ours?

Eventually, David fled:

And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom. (2 Samuel 15:13 KJV)

But, what appeared to be the end of the matter wasn’t, until a father cried over his son:

And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would God I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son! (2 Samuel 18:33 KJV)

I pray that we do not reach the point of weeping over fallen brotherhood in this county over such dissensions.