David & Shimei

I am not going to say this the most eloquently, and it's not even a new idea. But I think it should be repeated and passed along like a story; in reality, the Bible is full of stories full of life. I was led recently to 2nd Samuel 16:5-14 to read "Shimei Curses David," this little story about King David being cursed and yelled at by a relative of Saul. This seemed on some small level to parallel a conflict I was having with a neighbor over parking in my complex. In the story, Shimei is a relative of Saul, the first king of Israel. He actually screams at David that he is a murderer and an evil man, then he throws stones at David. David could easily have responded by, well, *murdering* his opponent. How easily he could have said, "Murderer?! You want to see a murderer? Well I'll show you one..!" But he doesn't. In my "Shimei" story, I, like David, felt a check on my response. It is still unfolding and not a totally resolved situation, but as it moves towards resolution I see there is more at stake than anger, or even parking rights. The point is, I needed to be in the place of David, to show the power of the One I love by NOT throwing stones back. It's *hard*, but this is the direction I know it needs to go. There are some folks praying for me and I know I can do it. At the end of the passage it says "they arrived exhausted" and I see that. It occurs to me David is a "type of Christ" in theology language. David says "What are the sons of Zeruiah to me?" He refuses to let his companions judge this man. It's so strange in a way. The Son of David will later say "Let the man who is without sin cast the first stone" in response to people who want him to agree that a woman who has sinned needs to be stoned to death. There is some kind of parallel. Shimei was sent from the Lord. So are troubles sometimes.