Torn Loyalty

 

    Being a loyal person is a good thing.  It can leave you feeling taken advantage of at times, but it is proof of strong character.  It gets complicated when your your loyalty makes you feel torn.  It can be between divorced parents, different bosses at work, your time with God and your ministry, or other circumstances.  We all have loyalty to more than one thing. 

    David was no exception.  He was loyal to his nation and his king, but was rejected.  He had to find a new home.  He became loyal to King Achish to be able to survive.  He did things that he was not proud of, but that is life sometimes.  

    While Saul was off seeking his fate in the battle between the Philistines and Israel, the Philistines were having a discussion about David and his men.  You know that David's loyalty was being tested.  King Achish' s men did not want to fight alongside them for obvious reasons. The king had confidence in David, but he had to keep his men happy.  Politics, it is a tough job.  Achish's loyalty was being torn too.

    Achish's commander spoke on the behalf of the soldiers.  They wanted David and his men sent home, far from the battle.  What would they do if David turned against them in battle?  The king was just asking too much of everyone, so he sent David and his men home in Ziklag.  There was no insult to it, so they went in peace.  To be honest though, I think that David and his men were probably grateful.  

    When your loyalty is being torn, it can lead to a lot of stress.  Stress is a death sentence.  It is so hard, but find a way to give it over to God.  He will work it out where normally every one is content, happy, or benefited.  It gets all stressful when we take matters into our own hands.

1 Samuel 29