My mom had a saying when I was growing up that “all that glitters isn’t gold.” Perhaps that sentiment can be used to describe the aftermath of the death of Absalom, David’s son. What should have been a moment of rejoicing was really a moment of sadness for the kingdom of Israel in general and for King David in particular. Though the war was over (mostly), the victory wasn’t without its casualties. Isn’t that always the case? Sometimes victory doesn’t seem quite as sweet because we understand just how much it costs us. In the case of David, a moment of rejoicing was turned into a moment of sadness because he lost his son and was faced with more consequences from his sin with Bathsheba. Just remember that your victory is another person’s loss, and even though you’re on opposing sides, that doesn’t mean the loss is any less for the others. In the case of war, there are still children without fathers, wives without husbands, and parents who lost their children. Victory is often costly, and we can’t forget that.
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