Then David returned to the brook Besor and met up with the 200 men who had been left behind because they were too exhausted to go with him. They went out to meet David and his men, and David greeted them joyfully. But some evil troublemakers among David’s men said, “They didn’t go with us, so they can’t have any of the plunder we recovered. Give them their wives and children, and tell them to be gone.” But David said, “No, my brothers! Don’t be selfish with what the Lord has given us. He has kept us safe and helped us defeat the band of raiders that attacked us. Who will listen when you talk like this? We share and share alike—those who go to battle and those who guard the equipment.” From then on David made this a decree and regulation for Israel, and it is still followed today. (21-25)
In this story, David pursues a band of raiding Amalekites who had captured all of his men’s families and possessions. They chased them so hard that by the time they got close, some of the men were too exhausted to fight. It wasn’t that they were lazy or did not want to help, it was simply that they could not fight and so they stayed behind with the luggage. Meanwhile, the other 400 soldiers pursued the enemy defeated them, and rescued every person and all their possessions. Quite understandably, those who fought the battle felt like they deserved a little more of the credit than those who had stayed behind. Yet, David teaches us some important lessons that we should heed today.
First, the battle belongs to the Lord and not to us. The reason that they defeated their enemy was not that they had 400 men (or even if they had 600 men) but because God had given them the victory. We often think that we are successful because of something inside of us, but any success we have in our life comes from the Lord and it is good to remember that. Second, David understood the concept of stewardship. He knew that he didn’t own anybody or anything; God owns everything and we are simply stewards. The men didn’t have the right to withhold anything from their comrades who stayed behind. Instead, they were to share the bounty with all because God owns everything and He decides who gets what. Finally, David understood that everyone has a role to play and each role is vital. In a team effort, it takes everyone doing their part to be successful and we must value everyone’s contribution. I often meet people who put us on a pedestal because we went to Africa to be missionaries. I try to remind them that we could not go if they had not stayed behind to “hold the rope” for us. God has a plan for us all and He values each of us equally. Let us never forget that as we serve together in His Kingdom.
