Yesterday I spent some time talking about David’s humility. Today another aspect of David’s character can be highlight – his integrity. David wasn’t always perfect in this area of his life, but for the most part, his integrity was very strong. One of the best examples of this relates to his treatment of Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth. David was the new king of Israel, and his kingship really was as a result of the failing leadership of Saul. Saul wasn’t just killed in a battle; the Lord revoked his kingship and placed David on the throne instead. Saul’s household lost the privilege of royalty, and the responsibility of any of his descendants was to pay homage to their new king – which is what they did. David’s response, however, was nothing short of miraculous. Instead of lording his new authority over the remained of Saul’s house (which happened to be one servant and Mephibosheth), David exalted Mephibosheth to such a place that he had a standing invitation to dine at the king’s table – a privilege carried by few people. No one would have faulted David for ignoring Saul’s relatives – particularly after the way Saul treated David. However, David chose to act with integrity and to do the unthinking: to welcome Saul’s family into his own and to care for their needs. How do you deal with your enemies? How do you deal with the children of your enemies? Is it with character and kindness? Or is it with spite? David sets an amazing example for us of how we need to treat them.
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