pramsay posted on January 24, 2006 03:28
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"Yeah, it's all put on. He can act like that around older christians, but when u get him with us, he's no different than the rest of the gang. In fact, he often is the ring leader. He's the one who challenges us to do some of the things we do. So yeah - the guy you see, is not quite the same as the one we know. I don't want to put him down so I'll stop there." And the red flags go up. What you see is not always what you get.
I was reading in 1 Samuel 16 and I thought the recommendation of one of David's peers was outstanding. King Saul was battling dark, sinister thoughts. His advisors scrambled to find some soothing music that would lift him out of his dark ornery mood. There were no Selah or Phillips, Craig & Dean cd's to shove in; no Ruth Hanna or Ashley Milne songs to download and play. No Mercy Me groups to do a command performance - not even the GVB. Actually, they were looking for a harpist!
One of the young men (translated 'servant' in the KJV) who worked for the King knew about David. Here is the recommendation he made to the King. "...Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is (1) cunning in playing, and (2) a mighty valiant man, and (3) a man of war, and (4) prudent in matters and (5) a comely person, (6) and the Lord is with him." 1Samuel 16:18 You can't get a much better reference than that and it is particularly significant that it comes from one of David's peers. Another young man. "This guy is absolutely awesome on the harp; he'll tackle anything and prove that's he's made of good stuff; I think he would make an excellent soldier too; he's brave and courageous. But he is very balanced. He is wise in all matters. He's not a loose cannon. He thinks things through and is trustworthy. He's not ugly to look at either - your daughters would be impressed! Really the only way I can sum it up is: His underlying strength and credibility comes from the fact that the Lord Jehovah is with Him. I am one of his peers and it is just so obvious that the Lord is the priority in his life."
What would my peers say about me? Would they conclude their remarks about me by saying - "the Lord is with Him!" or would they snicker and whisper: "He's good around u guys but he has another side to him!" David was a well-balanced young person. Sometimes a person can turn a corner spiritually and appear to grow leaps and bounds spiritually. They are reading and studying their Bible. They seem to have a very active prayer life - but some essential ingredients are missing: humility and wisdom. We can be proud of our progress and become judgmental in our attitude towards our peers. Rather than encouraging peers spiritually, I can turn them off. David was progressing spiritually but rather than being an annoying reminder of spiritual conditions, he was a role model for his peers to respect and admire.
May the Lord help us to live our lives in such a way that our peers will say: "...the Lord is with him."