Ask Your Brother...

How would you begin to describe King David? Would you say he was a man after God’s own heart, a giant slayer or great military leader? Or maybe you’d mention his poetry in the Psalms? As mighty and wise as he was, I’m guessing you wouldn’t start with the humble relationship he had with God. We see it in how he prayed for safety and success before battles, but many people do that. We may see it more in how he thanked God afterwards, which fewer remember to do. I think his humility is most evident, though, in how gave God the full credit for their victories and continued to do so without any hint of cockiness as he became one of the most successful military leaders in biblical history. That’s an honorable trait for any person, but to set it as an example in leadership is an even greater quality. Let’s look at an illustration of how he did that.

The backstory… David assumed Israel’s throne from Saul, who had become the nation’s first king after defeating King Nahash of the Ammonites (1 Samuel 11). The transition to David was not smooth, though, as Saul pursued and tried to kill him after Samuel anointed him while Saul was still in power. In one such pursuit, King Nahash, apparently surviving the earlier defeat and holding a grudge against Saul, “showed kindness” to David (1 Chronicles 19:2) by helping him evade Saul.

Current day (well, current day in this story)… After taking power, David wanted to repay the Ammonite king who had helped him. Since Nahash had passed, though, he instead sent an envoy with gifts to his son and successor, King Hanun. Now, David knew Nahash had helped him because of his grudge against Saul and not from compassion. But David’s gesture was still sincere, even if it was also a good idea to establish kind relations with new neighbors.

But, alas, Hanun was not David and did not have David’s humble heart. When he saw the ambassadors approaching, he allowed his “princes” to convince him that they had come “to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land” (1 Chronicles 19:3). Rather than receiving David’s kindness with humility, he “greatly humiliated” the men from Israel by “shaving off half of their beards, and cutting off their garments in the middle” (2 Samuel 10:4-5).

David’s response to that treatment is an example of his humble nature. He would have been justified in sending an army against the Ammonites for their abuse of his men and the insult it was to all of Israel. Instead, David basically told his men to go and wait in “Jericho until your beards grow, and then return” and try again (1 Chronicles 19:5).

That admirable restraint may have made this one of those Bible stories we all know, that is, if it had had a chance to work. Before it could, though, Hanun’s fear that he’d already started a war against Isreal got the best of him. He rallied his allies and set their army behind Israel while his army took up position in front.

So, David, who had nothing but a kind gesture on his mind, suddenly finds his country facing a huge military threat and it’s in his reaction that we find the point of this message. Here’s how… David had been a great general but, as king, his nephew Joab was leading his army and so was responsible for defending Israel. Fortunately, Joab proved himself a great and wise general, as well, and his strategy here helped establish that reputation. He divided his troops, leading one half against the rear threat and putting his brother, Abishai, in charge of the troops that would face the threat in front.

That the strategy was successful, with the enemies in the front and the rear fleeing rather than fighting, is not the point. Our focus here is on how David’s example of humility in leadership influenced Joab in his encounter with Abishai. It’s a message of love as much as leadership, and it’s one from which we can all learn. You see, in the brother’s discussion we find the following:

• Wisdom – With the same sort of humility David exampled, Joab sought the advice of his brother.

• Encouragement – After strategizing, Joab told Abishai, “Be strong, and let us show ourselves courageous for the sake of our people” (1 Chronicles 19:13). As Jesus said also to Peter, “strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32), it seems that encouraging one another is a Christian expectation more than just something nice to do.

• Prayer – Joab planned with his brother and encouraged him but, like David, then turned it over to God as he concluded their discussion by adding, “and may the Lord do what is good in His sight” (1 Chronicles 19:13).

Our love for Christ should manifest in our love for each other, even as He told us in the New Commandment, “love one another, even as I have loved you” (John 13:34). We gain strength in encouragement and in love the strong help the weak, even as a duty. And so, as brotherly love is our greatest armament in spiritual warfare, let us encourage each other in counsel, comfort and prayer. I think David would.