David {Unconditional Respect}

I have been thinking a lot about David the last while. David, the King of Israel, the man after God's own heart. Especially about Davids relationship with Saul. David was a Godly man, he did great and mighty things for God. Saul's choices led him further and further away from God, till finally satan lived in him and worked through him. Saul tried to kill David so many times that David finally had to go into hiding. But what gets me every time I read or think of this story is David's unconditional respect and honor of 'the Lord's anointed'. Saul was an evil man, consumed by Satan. If any man deserved disrespect and dishonor, it was Saul. But instead of gathering people to revolt against Saul, or to kill him, he ran. He said, "I will not raise my hand against the Lord's anointed." Wow. David's heart for his authority was so beautiful. 

Sadly, instead of the beauty of David's respect and honor in my heart,  something so ugly and horrid is in my heart and also in the heart of modern Christianity. It makes me so sad to see the rebellion, disrespect, and bad mouthing that has taken it's place. David had no conditions on respect. He didn't say well, as long as Saul doesn't do this I'll respect him. He didn't decide that because Saul tried to kill him, he would begin an all out assault on Saul. He respected him. If for no other reason than because God had placed Saul over him. Saul tried to kill him, and he still would not raise a hand against him.  In fact David wept when Saul died. David had every reason to rejoice at the death of Saul, but he wept.  

In a time where we bad mouth and disrespect our President, our church leaders, parents and our husbands that seems a little crazy. But it also holds incredible beauty. David was a man after God's Heart. Something we all should aspire to be. I wonder what it would be to have David's heart transplanted into my body. To have his courage, his passion for God, and his respect for authority, be it good authority or bad authority. Much for my mind to mull over these days. . .