Could vs. Should

"Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, 'My lord the king!'  When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. He said to Saul, 'Why do you listen when men say David is bent on harming you?'  This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave.  Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, 'I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the Lord's anointed.'"  I Samuel 24:8-10

Having taken many road trips, I've been faced with the question time and time again as to what speed the cruise control should be set.  On a few occasions over the years, the lights in my rear view mirror indicated that I had chosen poorly.  The fact that certain speeds were available to choose did not mean that I should.

David, in our story for the day, wrestled with this oft-repeated life dilemma.  He could have killed the man who was trying to kill him, but should he?  He literally had him with his pants down.  Those with David even claimed this circumstance was God's way of telling David to take out his enemy.  David, however, concluded that could and should were not the same thing in this particular situation.  His regulating truth was that God's anointed should be honored.

If we find thoughts like, "no one will know", "it's not hurting anybody", "they deserve it", "what's the big deal?" and the like bouncing around in our brain, watch out!  We are treading on the thin ice between could and should.  We could do any number of things, but the bigger question is, "Should we?"  In setting our course, let's embrace the same passion of the Psalmist who wrote to God, "I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free!"

Grace and Peace,

Tom
Location: Fall Creek Christian Church, 1102 West 700 South, Pendleton, IN 46064, USA

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