Daily Devotions
Be Careful What You Publish About Your Brothers
Reading for April 5th: 2 Samuel 1-3
"Tell it not in Gath,
publish it not in the streets of Ashkelon,
lest the daughters of the Philistines rejoice,
lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult."
2 Samuel 1:20
We need to think about David's admonition to "tell it not in Gath." We need to be careful about airing our dirty laundry before the Gentiles.
David was concerned about how people would react to the death of Saul, not just because Saul was the father of Jonathan (his best friend), but because Saul was God's anointed king. He begins his song of lament with these words: "Your glory, O Israel, is slain on your high places! How the mighty have fallen!" (v 19).
We need to have a similar concern about the glory of spiritual Israel (the church). Just like David, we sometimes have to suffer from enemies within the church. But we must not let our personal feelings toward them cause us to look for ways to humiliate or embarrass them before others (and especially before the world). When they suffer a great defeat like Saul did we should lament their loss as David did over the death of his greatest enemy.
And let me make a special admonition for facebook users. We have a tremendous platform to present the glory of Israel to the nations through this electronic medium. Let's be so careful about what we post about our brethren.
"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." (Eph 4:29)
Father, help us to always glorify your name and protect your reputation in all that we do and say, and in all that we say about those who are your children.
