Day4
Week23
2 Samuel
“When David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of saddled donkeys carrying two hundred loaves of bread, a hundred clusters of raisins, a hundred summer fruits, and one skin of wine. The king said to Ziba, “Why do you have these things?” Ziba replied, “The donkeys are for the household of the king to ride. The bread and the summer fruit are for the servants to eat. The wine is for those who become weary in the wilderness to drink.” The king said, “And where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, “Behold, he is staying in Jerusalem, for he said, ‘Today they will return to me the house of Israel and my father’s kingdom.’ ” Then David said to Ziba, “Behold, all that belonged to Mephibosheth is now yours.” Ziba replied, “I bow before you. May I find favor in your sight, my Lord the king.””
2 Samuel 16:1-4 MEV
Cross references
2 Samuel 15:32;
1 Samuel 25:18;
Judges 10:4;
2 Samuel 17:29;
2 Samuel 9:9-10
Gift Of Flattery
A man’s gifts will make room for him and bring him before great men.
Proverbs 18:16
Have you ever received a gift of flattery?
It isn’t good to be suspicious of everyone and everything, but we must be wise enough to consider both sides of a matter.
David is so impressed by Ziba’s gift of flattery that he is willing to believe him without evidence about his precious friend Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth.
Rash decisions are rarely wise and almost always come back to bite us.
There are always two sides to every story and this is one of the dangers of gossip. David listened to gossip because he was flattered with gifts that were very much needed. His rash decision caused his friend’s son to lose everything.
God used these gifts to provide for David and his men, but David was so impressed by the gift that he didn’t see it as God’s provision. He chose flattery over wisdom.
Action Step
Have you ever believed the wrong side of a story?
Was anyone hurt by your decision to believe it?
Pray this way:
God, I believe that You are able to make all things new. You are able to mend division, restore brokenness, minister to the weary, and heal the sick.
Nothing is too difficult for You. You are worthy of all my honor and praise. No one compares to You! In Jesus' name, Amen.
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