David and Uriah showed two different sides to human nature during the Bathsheba affair – and you’ll have to pick one of them to display this Christmas. Which will you choose?
The Lustful King
In 2 Samuel 11, we read the story of David and Bathsheba. This beautiful woman was the wife of one of David’s closest and most loyal men, Uriah the Hittite.
To cut a long story short, while Uriah and the army were away waging war, King David was at home enjoying the spoils of years of battles and strife. David had everything he could ever want. Money, fame, power, women, property – you name it, he had it. Then he saw Bathsheba and, not content with the opulence and abundance of what he already had, he lusted after her and abused his position and power to take her.
When he discovered that he had gotten her pregnant, he called Uriah back from the battle field, hoping that he would go home to his wife and then, in nine months time just naturally assume that the child was his. The problem was, Uriah was an honorable man whose heart was obviously very much right.
The Selfless Soldier
As much as Uriah must have wanted to go home to his wife, he decided that it would not be right to do so while his fellow soldiers were stuck out on the battlefield sleeping in tents at night and doing battle all day. It was incredible that this warrior, this manly man, would be able to resist the temptation of spending the night with his beautiful wife, but his strength of character and will overcame his human desires.
King David chose to give into his lust even though he already had everything he ever needed. Uriah chose to abandon gratification and not take advantage of an opportunity his fellow soldiers did not have.
Now Over To Us
As we look forward to the coming Christmas season, we have a similar choice to make.
We are like King David, we have everything we need. We are blessed beyond words, more comfortable and prosperous than any civilization in history and yet there are billions of people around the world, some of whom may even be our neighbors, who are severely disadvantaged.
Our choice, therefore, is whether to be like David and give in to our lust for more this Christmas or be like Uriah and selflessly refuse to bless ourselves when so many are in desperate need.
We have become very good at justifying to ourselves the gross amount of money that we spend on Christmas presents. We may not actually say that we ‘need’ most of the things we buy for Christmas but our insatiable desire for more drives us to convince ourselves that our purchases are necessities when they are truly no more than window dressing in our lives.
The Choice Is Yours
So which will you choose? Will you be selfish like King David and give in to your lust for more or will you be selfless like Uriah and put the needs of others before your own desires?
For more on this subject, check out this post from OM and this one from a Bishop in England
Question: Which side of human nature do you intend to display this Christmas?
So….you are saying that I should refrain from the Christmas Candies and Cookies this year, eh? Okay…at least during Advent! xD
Seriously though, I get what you mean. We usually don't get each other (or ourselves) big expensive gifts for Christmas either, because we don't need more than we have. Though last year Bob and I did buy ourselves a new television. Yes. We watch t.v. Bad us. This year we are doing an ornament exchange (grab bag with ornaments under $10) with all the adults in my family, including cousins. This should free up some money so that we can still donate to Covenant House and Mercy Home for Boys and Girls. They are our two faves because they help kids without homes or parents get off the streets. Yes, they are group homes.
I wrote an Advent post on Sunday. http://randommusings-helen.blogspot.com/2009/11/w…
It does not really deal with the same topic, but thought I"d put it out their anyway. 🙂
Sigh…
It gets pretty ridiculous, doesn't it?
Yes it does… but are you going to join in the ridiculousness?
Honestly? My family is pretty materialistic. As the baby of the family, I sometimes step back into the role of "go with the flow and don't make trouble". But I saw where you can donate a goat or other farm animal to someone in a 3rd world country in someone's name and I'm seriously considering doing that. I'll spend the same amount, but I'll be doing something besides buying some trinket that no one will even remember next year.
Well, this year our Christmas will be spent on building memories together instead of lots of gifts. Where better to do that than on a cruise in the Caribbean! 🙂 Hey, it gets cold here in Alaska! We need a little warmth and the vacation is definitely needed.
Last year we participated as a family in Mark Batterson’s church project to buy needed items for people in Africa. We sent a goat and some blankets then prayed for the ones who would receive it. It was really cool.
This year as a church we are sponsoring a couple families in need we know in our community. Just because we can’t do it all isn’t an excuse to do nothing!
You are so right- we have to be intentional about this- keep the focus where it should be…
I hope you enjoy the cruise!
I don't believe it is 'wrong' to treat yourself once in a while and I would never begrudge someone a vacation!
Fortunately you know what I was getting at in this post though, it's the constant lust for more which is so pervasive in our society that I completely link to how David acted!
I have the same problem with my family… and my problem is that they like to give more than to receive. They love most seeing people open their presents.
I just can't stop them buying me things I am never going to use!
Perspective – that's a good word to use!
Thanks for stopping by!
How I would love to be given what cannot be wrapped: peace, contentment, joy. Meaning. Gratification. Fulfillment. Security.
Then I look at the Cross. The Gift has already been given. The treasure is mine, not because of any merit of my own, but because of His mercy and grace. What can compare?
(I do have one more earthly wish, though. I wish I could have more quiet and contemplation, and less running…and guilt for the frantic pace of my life. *sigh*)
God bless, Peter!
I wish for those Earthly things too… and I wish I would remember more often the Gift I received at the cross!
Thank you for a great comment!
Interesting comparison and correlation – one that I really haven't thought about, but certainly makes sense and stepped on my toes! Thanks for the reminder and let's hope everyone keeps things in perspective!!
To be honest, I had never made the correlation before and then a day or so before Thanksgiving, I was thinking about how gluttonous I was going to be and what I 'wanted' to buy on Black Friday and I suddenly got a picture of David looking down from the roof and seeing Bathsheba.
Then I thought of how Uriah refused to go to his wife and I realized that his heart was so right – and David's was the exact opposite!
Great thoughts! It seems that every year it gets harder and harder to make up a Christmas list. I'm pretty content. Like your family, mine loves to give.
"Presents are the best way to show someone how much you care. It's like a tangible thing that you can point to and say, "Hey man, I love you…this many dollars" – Michael Scott
That Micheal Scott is a deep dude!
be selfless like Uriah and put the needs of others before your own desires:
we can apply this not just on Christmas but in our journey's of life..