“David’s response to Sha’ul was, ‘Who am I, that I should become the king’s son-in-law? I don’t have any kind of a life, and my father’s family has no rank in Isra’el.‘”-1 Samuel 18:18
Let’s examine the second part of David’s response to Saul when he was offered the king’s daughter’s hand in marriage.
After saying “‘Who am I, that I should become the king’s son-in-law?”, David goes on to say his family has no rank in Israel.
Now, the first question that comes to mind is was that really true?
David’s father Jesse was of the ruling clan of Judah and quite wealthy.
Okay, so this is where a proper understanding of historical context comes in handy.
David’s family did indeed possess rank and influence in Judah, which was the south…
But his family had little if any influence and rank in Israel, the northern alliance of tribes.
David was well aware that Judah was not well-liked by the North.
Economically there was a huge gap between the two.
Judah didn’t have as much money as northern Israel and had fewer people because a lot of its land was desert.
Unlike Israel, Judah also didn’t possess any seaports or rights to the Sea of Galilee’s riches.
The people in the north did a lot of trading and held many different occupations, while people in Judah mostly took care of animals and farms.
David worried that because of this, the northern tribes might not like him very much, which could be a big problem for Saul.
So what’s the takeaway for today?
The takeaway is noticing David’s sensitivity and keen awareness of the current political situation.
David recognized the stark divide between Judah and the northern alliance of tribes comprising Israel.
This understanding of his family’s limited standing in the broader political and economic landscape enabled him to act and speak intelligently.
In the future when David becomes King, this insight will also enable him to navigate the delicate political dynamics between Judah and Israel and address potential challenges and pitfalls.
So the lesson is you should do the same in your life.
Whether at work or in other areas of your life, it’s important to be aware of where you stand in the big scheme of things.
This will help you deal with politically adverse circumstances and be more able to trust God’s sovereignty as He controls circumstances from on high.
Ya feel me?
So that’s your lesson for today.
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