Blessed Are The Meek: David Spares Saul

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth Matthew five. Five, Heavenly Father, our hearts are stirred with a call to humility and gentleness. Then a world often driven by selfish ambition and a quest for power, remind us of the strength of meekness. The power of serving rather than being served. Empower us to use our gifts, strengths, and resources for the good of others. Teach us to lay down our lives in love as Jesus did. Teach us the true meaning of leadership in your kingdom, where greatness is measured by our ability to care, empathize, and put the needs of others before our own. Help us to walk in Christ's footsteps, embodying the meekness that trusts in your sovereignty and seeks to bring peace and justice. May our lives reflect the beauty of your humility, and through our actions, may others be drawn to the light of your love. Amen. Thank you for praying with me to day. You're listening to the Jesus Podcast Stories of Courage and Compassion, Tales of Love and Transformation. If you haven't yet followed this podcast or left a review, we'd love it if you would do so. Now remain here for another story based on timeless truths. From the Sermon on the Mount, jesus words were carried by the wind, with the sea at his back and the rolling hills before him. He proclaimed what it means to be blessed in God's kingdom. 00:02:04 Speaker 2: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 00:02:09 Speaker 1: Those words brought comfort to those who had been kicked around in life. The beggars and the sick alike came alive at the idea of being blessed with the Kingdom of heaven. Jesus continued encouraging the bereaved and mourning. 00:02:28 Speaker 2: Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 00:02:32 Speaker 1: Those words were balms to wounded and weary souls. But then Jesus said something that seemed counterintuitive, something upside down to the culture of conquest that consumed the age. Roman soldiers standing at attention in the back shuddered at the very sound of Jesus' next proclamation. 00:02:56 Speaker 2: Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 00:03:04 Speaker 3: The essence of true christ Like strength is knowing how to use power for the good of those around you, while others see an opportunity to dominate and win control. We march to a different drum, the drum of mercy over judgment, service over selfishness, and love over hate. This is the Jesus Podcast I'm Ethan from pray dot Com. Today, we continue to connect Jesus's Sermon on the Mount with other stories throughout the Bible. Our focus today is on Matthew Chapter five, verse five, which states, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. We will examine what it means to be meek, how this virtue is exemplified in the story of David Sparing Saul's life, and how we can embody these values in our own daily lives. 00:03:57 Speaker 1: Saul pursued David like a while animal. His jealous rage consumed him day and night. He was a man possessed by spite and pride. Although David had done nothing wrong, Saul was convinced that he posed a threat to his throne. David, the Giant Slayer, became an exile, forced to flee into the wilderness like a common criminal. Saul's army hunted David and his men vigorously following them to the forests of Hingetti. Saul's anger burned hot like a stoked furnace, but it took a toll on his mind. Saul's army made it to the forest edge. The vibrant green surrounding them was pleasant and peaceful. Saul could feel a pole toward the river for refreshment. He needed to seek time alone to rest, and composed himself. 00:05:01 Speaker 4: I'm going to the river today. Do not follow me. I shall be back tonight. 00:05:06 Speaker 1: On tomorrow, the king said to his men. He ventured into the forest, shaded by a canopy of trees and vines. He breathed in the fresh air and listened to the gentle babbling of streams nearby. He wandered up the river towards the mouth of a large cave. The sun was peeking in through the trees, splashing rays of twinkling lights on the water below. Saul removed his clothes and waded into the river. He washed himself and breasted on the shore. Even with the cool earth below him and the gentle sunlight above him, his mind was still fogged with paranoia and hatred. It consumed him, and when he did not want it, Saul dressed himself and walked into the mouth of the cave. He rested his back against the cave's wall and rested his eyes. He allowed his mind to drift and wander. He imagined himself capturing David and dragging him into the streets by his beard. He imagined his spear going straight through his heart. Even amid a peaceful and serene atmosphere, Saul's mind still clung to violence. The king fell asleep there, and the vast cave protected him from the evening breeze. 00:06:48 Speaker 3: He is here, David. 00:06:50 Speaker 1: David awoke and turned his head. 00:06:52 Speaker 5: Who King Saul is asleep at the mouth of the cave, and the Lord tell you he'd give the enemy into your head. This is what he was talking about. God has given your soul on a silver platter, that you can do with him what you please. 00:07:09 Speaker 1: David said nothing. He simply stared at the dark curves of the cave leading to the entrance. 00:07:16 Speaker 5: You could, in all your suffering and be conting. With a swap of your sword, you could end it. 00:07:23 Speaker 3: All. 00:07:23 Speaker 5: Here to do is kill him before he kills you. He slays row David put an end to this madness once and for all. 00:07:32 Speaker 1: They placed a dagger in David's hands. David looked at the blade for a long time and gripped it tight and walked forward toward the mouth of the cave kills Saul. David thought to himself, is it really that simple? David approached the mouth of the cave. Saul was leaning against the wall, sound asleep. The light of the late afternoon exposed his aging face. He looked older than David remembered him, and it was as if all these months of hatred and jealousy had aged him more rapidly. David stood over the king with the blade in his hands. Saul was an easy target. It would be nothing for David to cut his throat and be done with the madness. He stood over Saul in the cave's darkness for a few moments. The echoes of the streams beside the cave bounced around him. Sweat beat down David's brow as he knelt and raised the dagger to Saul's throat. Only one slash, that is all. 00:08:50 Speaker 3: It would take. 00:08:52 Speaker 1: The throne of Israel, the armies of God, and the affection of the people. They could all be his. All he had to do was press the blade against the king's throat. Quietly, David lowered the blade, but then he stopped. His hands shook in place. 00:09:17 Speaker 2: Is this what the sword is for? 00:09:19 Speaker 1: He asked himself. David moved the blade down to Saul's garment and cut off a tiny sliver of its edge. He held the small piece of fabric and stood at his feet. His hands were shaking as he looked down at it. Then David retreated back into the cave. Saul was undisturbed, blissfully unaware that David could have taken his life. David marched deeper into the cave and stopped. He looked down at the piece of Saul's robe in his hands. He gripped it tightly, leaning his head against the cave and wept. He silently sobbed, pounding his fist against his chest. His men walked up to him. 00:10:14 Speaker 3: Did you do it? 00:10:16 Speaker 1: David held up the piece of Saul's robe. 00:10:20 Speaker 2: I refuse to put my hand on God's anointed. I shouldn't have even laid a finger on him. He's the king of God's people. He does not deserve such a slight against him. 00:10:30 Speaker 5: A slide against him. You didn't kill him, you didn't even leave a scratch, it dripped a whole piece of his row. Disease deserves such tears, David. 00:10:40 Speaker 1: The men were angry. Saul was the reason they were outcasts and on the run. Saul had hunted them and treated them like animals, yet David refused to kill him. It confused and frustrated them that a man of such power like David couldn't find the courage to kill Saul. But it wasn't cowardice that kept David at bay. It wasn't a lack of strength that kept his blade teathed. David knew that the power of the sword wasn't meant for vengeance, but for justice. 00:11:19 Speaker 2: Saul is God's king. My tears are for the heart within me that would even consider such vengeance vengeance as the lord's. I will not take his life so that I may be elevated. 00:11:32 Speaker 1: When the men saw David's passion, they ceased their protests. David raised a finger to them and said. 00:11:39 Speaker 2: I order you to say away from him, do not disturb him or lay a hand on him. 00:11:45 Speaker 1: The men restrained themselves and allowed the king to rest until he awoke. Later that day, David leaned against the cave, staring at Saul from the shadows. His mind raced with a thousand different different reasons to kill him, yet his heart broke for the king. King Saul had once been like a father to him, had pained him, and he even raised a dagger close to him. David watched Saul rise from his slumber and stretching him. The king stood up and began walking outside. He knelt to splash water on his face, and as he was kneeling over, David stepped out of the shadows. My lord King, his voice echoed through the trees, carried by the wind. Saul jolted up and drew his sword. You, he yelled with a scowl. Saul shifted his feet and prepared himself to fight. David looked into Saul's eyes. They glared at him with pure and boiling hatred. It was not the gaze of a man questioning his own heart. Saul had determined to kill David, yet even still, he could not bring himself to fight. David slowly drew his sword from his back and raised it. Saul gnashed his teeth, bracing himself for an attack. 00:13:19 Speaker 4: Come on, you dog, fight me. 00:13:21 Speaker 1: David didn't advance. He took his sword and threw it on the ground before Saul. 00:13:28 Speaker 2: I won't fight you, King Saul, Is this a trick? 00:13:32 Speaker 3: Why should I trust you? 00:13:35 Speaker 2: Why should you trust me? 00:13:36 Speaker 1: David bent a knee and stretched out his arms. 00:13:40 Speaker 2: Who is it has whispered these lies into your ears? Who has told you that I seek it to you harm? 00:13:46 Speaker 1: David took the ripped piece of Saul's cloak and showed it to him. 00:13:50 Speaker 2: Look and see the torn part of your garment. Today the Lord delivered you into my hand in that cave. Some of my men were even trying to urge me to kill you. Yet I restrained myself. I spared you. I showed you a kindness, a kindness you would not have shown me. 00:14:11 Speaker 1: Saul couldn't believe his eyes. He had obsessed over a false image of David for so long that he found it hard to believe that he would show him mercy. 00:14:23 Speaker 4: Why spare me when I have been hunting you all this time? 00:14:27 Speaker 2: Why because I refused to stretch my hand out against the Lord's anointed, I have considered you like a father. Neither rebellion nor evil lies within my heart against you. I have done nothing to warrant your hatred. Yet you hunt me like a filthy animal. 00:14:44 Speaker 1: Saul shook his head, His tormented soul stirred like stormy waters. He found it hard to judge what was real and what wasn't. David continued his questioning in hopes of winning back Saul's heart. 00:15:00 Speaker 2: The blade inches from your throat, but didn't take your life. You have my word. As long as I live, I will not raise a hand against you. As the proverb of the ancient says, wickedness proceeds from the wicked. Look at me, Saul, am I a wicked man? Who have you spent months pursuing a dead dog? 00:15:26 Speaker 4: A flea? 00:15:27 Speaker 2: Let God be the judge between you and me. 00:15:32 Speaker 1: David lowered his face and pressed his nose against the dirt. He waited silently for Saul to respond, either with a word or with a swing of his sword. When Saul watched David bow, something changed. 00:15:49 Speaker 4: In his heart. 00:15:50 Speaker 1: The fog that had filled his mind for so long began to clear, like the sun breaking away the morning clouds. Clarity of thought was restored to him and was as if scales were peeling away from Saul's eyes, and he could see the truth of what God was truly doing for a brief moment, Saul was able to see clearly. He saw before him not an enemy, but a faithful son and a devoted servant of God. He looked down at the meekness of David. It was a humility he never had, but God desired. Tears began to stream down Saul's face, and his broad shoulders began to tremble. He dropped his sword, and the damn of his soul burst open violently. For the first time in months, Saul was no longer blind to what God was doing. 00:17:00 Speaker 3: Is that you, my son, David. 00:17:03 Speaker 1: David looked up. Saul's stark and callous gaze was replaced with vulnerability and weakness. The king fell to his knees and wept with his face in his hands. 00:17:19 Speaker 4: You are a more righteous man, denied David. You have rewarded all my evil with good. You have shown this day why God has chosen you to be king over me. 00:17:31 Speaker 1: As the words came out of Saul's mouth, David knew that the Lord had indeed called him. 00:17:39 Speaker 3: To be king. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. In our society, meekness is often misunderstood as weakness. Or passivity. However, in the Biblical context, meekness is a powerful virtue. It denotes strength under control, humility, and gentleness. Meekness involves a deep trust in God's sovereignty and a refusal to resort to aggression or self promotion. Jesus teaches that the meek are blessed because they embodied the character of a heavenly citizen, showing strength through restraint and humility. This beatitude promises that such individuals will inherit the earth, signifying God's ultimate reward for their faithfulness and humility. Let's turn to the story of David sparing Saul's life, found in First Samuel chapter twenty four. This story is a powerful illustration of meekness and action. David, though anointed to be the next king of Israel, was pursued by King Saul, who sought to kill him out of jealousy and fear. One day, David found himself in a position to kill Saul and end his own suffering. In First Samuel twenty four, verses three through seven, we read he came to the sheep pens along the way. The cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself David and his men were far back in the cave. The men said, this is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish. Then David crept up, unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe. Afterward, David was conscience stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. He said to his men, the Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord's anointed, or lay my hand on him, for he is the anointed of the Lord. With these words, David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way. David's restraint and respect for Saul, despite Saul's hostility toward him, are profound examples of meekness. David demonstrated strength by refusing to take matters into his own hands and trusting God's timing and justice. His humility and respect for God's anointed king highlight the true essence of meekness, strength under control, and a deep trust in God. How can we live out the values of meekness as taught in Matthew five five and exemplified in David's story. First, we must practice self control. Like David, we are often faced with situations where we could assert our power or retaliate against those who wrong us. Practicing self control and choosing the path of peace over aggression is a key aspect of meekness. As a young man, I was a hammer in a nail filled world. The temptation to get a hand through force of will was prevalent. It wasn't until I had children that I realized the essence of meekness. As a father, I'm more powerful than my children, but that power must be used to protect and not dominate. Guide instead of control, and discipline instead of lash out. All this requires self control and focusing my strength toward helping others instead of hurting. Being meek also requires that we trust in God's justice. David had every right to feel slighted and wronged. He did nothing wrong, yet he was pursued like an animal. No one would have blamed David for harming Saul, but David knew that killing the king wasn't God's justice, It would just be revenge. Meekness involves trusting that God is in control and that His justice will prevail. Instead of seeking revenge or taking matters into our own hands, we should have faith that God will act in his person timing. Meekness also shows respect and humility. David's respect for Saul despite Saul's actions, teaches us to show respect and humility even towards those who may not deserve it by worldly standards. This reflects our own trust in God and our commitment to living by his principles. Meekness is also a concerted effort to be gentle. Gentleness is a hallmark of meekness in our interactions. We should strive to be gentle, offering kindness and understanding rather than harshness and judgment. This doesn't mean weakness. In fact, gentleness shows a great deal of strength. Toddlers throw tantrums, throwing toys and biting their classmates. Children don't know how to restrain themselves. You show true maturity and strength when you're able to temper yourself and show gentleness even when rage bubbles beneath the surface. As we reflect on Jesus's words, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth and the story of David sparing Saul's life. Let us strive to embody meekness in our lives. May we show strength through restraint, trust in God's justice, and live with humility and gentleness. Let us pray for the grace to be true citizens of Heaven, reflecting the character of Jesus in all that we do. Thanks again for listening. If you haven't yet followed or subscribed to our podcast, be sure to do so. It makes sure you never miss an episode, but it also helps us get discovered by more people. Thanks for joining us.