TLDR: An episode in King David’s life has always been relevant for those who exercise power, whether in business, politics, or religious institutions. Read on for more.
I came upon the episode of 2 Samuel 11:1-15 in one of my devotional books today. Now a bit of context, king David has united the nation, and he is now fighting the Ammonites. Since he is enjoying the benefits of a united army, he takes a break from the fighting and returns to Jerusalem. It is spring, he is on the terrace of his palace getting some fresh air, and he sees a beautiful young woman bathing. He orders that she be brought to him, he sleeps with her, and she becomes pregnant. The king knows well the possible consequences of this indiscretion, so he designs a clever plan to get rid of the problem. The plan fails, and he resorts to the cold-blooded murder of the woman’s husband.
For us, who have followed the career of this poor shepherd boy, this episode makes us very uncomfortable. At best this episode shows a grave abuse of power. At worst this is a grave offense against God, which turns others into accomplices of David’s crime. The king treats those close to him as tools to achieve his goals, and as pawns in a conspiracy of silence meant to protect his reputation. This is an act of rebellion against God and Levitical law. Ultimately, this tragic episode was an absolute corruption of power. It is amazing how relevant David’s story is for us today. We all love the “Rags to Riches” stories we see in the media every day, and the story of the shepherd boy who becomes a mighty king is one of those stories. It is always sad when the principal character in these stories forgets where they came from, how they got to be in power, and how, precisely because of their humble beginnings, they are expected to honor the trust God and others have placed on them. They are expected to be better.
This episode in David’s life speaks powerfully about our human condition. We could replace King David’s name with the names of a number of politicians, businesspeople, and religious leaders in power today, or perhaps with our own names, and get similar results. Basically, we have a person who has forgotten about what God, and those who placed him in a position of power, have done for him. This applies to many people today. Somehow, they believe that their accomplishments are achieved solely through their own efforts, and not as a result of God’s blessings. From here they jump to the belief that they are entitled to enjoy certain special privileges others are denied. They feel this is their right. It starts slowly at first, perhaps a small lie to cover up a small imperfection, followed by a slightly bigger lie to cover that first lie, until the behaviors become more outrageous and the lies more sophisticated. They then begin to force others to enter their conspiracy of silence to protect their reputation. In their arrogance they see themselves as above God’s law and above human judgement.
British historian, Lord Acton once said, “Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely." Lord Acton is only partially correct about this. Actually, I believe sometimes unchecked power reveals the corruption hidden away for lack of opportunity. All of us have the potential to become absolutely corrupt, but many of us lack the opportunity to become so. When you read accounts of folks who have become wealthy overnight, you hear that it was easier for them to resist temptation when they were poor than when they became wealthy and powerful. The truth is that power, no matter how small, always carries with it the potential for corruption. Many folks accused of theft began by taking a small amount of money, followed by a slightly larger amount, followed by the theft of things of higher value. We all have the potential to abuse power and use others as pawns in our games. Many believe they deserve their infidelities and feel entitled to their addictions. Many see life as all about them and the satisfaction of their needs and wants. King David did what he did because he could, and many act in similar ways simply because they can.
In Ephesians 3:20, Paul reminds us that it is only through God’s power at work within us that we are able to accomplish abundantly, far more than all we can ask or imagine. It is only through the indwelling Spirit of Christ within us that we are able to excel in our careers, achieve the power he gives us in trust, and dream of possibilities that seem impossible for those who lack hope or faith. We can do nothing without God. This is the lesson forgotten by King David. This is the lesson which many of our politicians forget. Power is always limited, given by God for a little while. God expects all of us to use this power for the advancement of our families, communities, Church, and world. We are Christ’s ambassadors, his messengers. All that we have must serve one purpose only: to give Christ glory.
We know that God forgave David’s sin, and Scripture tells us that David’s repentance was genuine. We also must seek forgiveness for any abuses of power in which we engage daily. May God forgive us when we think that our success is the result of our efforts only, and when we move from that position to believing that we are entitled to act in any way we want. Amen!
May our Lord continue to bless you,
Fr. Roman+
