We have all seen them. Cows. Horses. Sheep. Buffalo. (I want to say some humans but that might be taking it too far). 🙂 Safely ensconced behind a fence, plenty of grass around them, but no-o-o-o-o they have to stick their neck over, under and through the fence to try reaching the grass on the other side. Sometimes watching them is almost comical. They will go through all sorts of gyrations trying to reach “the forbidden.”
Yeah…you know where I am going with this.
One of the things I have always appreciated about the Bible is its refusal to hide the warts of people. I once read that Oliver Cromwell, the great British leader, was sitting for a portrait. It is said he had an ugly wart on his face and the artist wanted to cover it. Cromwell is reported to have said, “I want you to paint me, warts and all.” Now, there was a man who was comfortable in his own skin! Tragically, that is not the case with many followers of Christ today.
But…back to my original thought. (It is a random thought day). The Bible paints its heroes warts and all. David is one of them. His reach for greener grass is legendary. From movies to print, his sordid affair with Bathsheba is the stuff of story after story. Even non-believers (or is that especially non-believers) jump all over his story with both feet.
Times haven’t changed much have they? People still like to hear the gossip and run to the “rags” to read, hear or pass on the latest “dirt” of someone who fell. Pastor. Teacher. Secretary. Leader. CEO. It happens. I am not excusing that. Not in the slightest. But even when it happens grace needs to be shown. (I know someone is going to shoot me for even suggesting that). Now, there has to be consequences for the failure (be it moral, sexual, financial, etc). But even confrontation can be done with a right spirit.
That is a little off the subject of David. But I do think David does show us the danger of being lax in our awareness. “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Pr.16:18) Why was David at home and not at war with his troops? Had he seen Bathsheba before, and knowing Uriah was going to be at war, did he stay home? Or had he just become too comfortable? What we do know is that David saw greener grass and went for it. Let me rephrase that: he thought he saw greener grass.
As you might imagine this is a topic that hits close to home for many. We all know someone who has been the victim/perpetrator of the greener grass syndrome. I say this carefully: tread lightly with both-the victim who has been hurt; and the one who thought an outside experience would solve the issue. I want to close my thoughts with this verse.
This will be a sensitive topic Sunday. It goes without saying that I covet your prayers in a big way. Thanks. By the way: any thoughts you care to share?
This is some good old fashioned preachin’. Let ’em have it with both barrels padre!
Will just preach the truth. 🙂
Nice one!
Indeed. There’s not a one of us who can measure up.
The Lord is looking for some honesty. For us to fess up and realize that we actually need a Savior…and not a self-help guru.
True Steve. Need more than a self-help guru.
It’s easy to put on in a forum like this and not show the true self. It’s easy to be “better” here than elsewhere. It’s easy to be “holier” here than at work later today. We aren’t really fooling anyone but ourselves, though. We all like to put on our masks and be who we’re not.
You are right Larry. It is easy to put on when someone can’t really know us.
Not an easy topic to deliver, Bill (or easy to swallow, for that matter). Praying it goes well Sunday!
Great post.
Thanks for the prayers Stephen.
Hi Bill,
This is a common temptation for man (or woman). If we use David’s failure as an example, we see that he sinned sexually and morally against God, against his fellow man, against Bathsheba, and against himself. Sexual sins, the Bible says, are sins against our own body. We join ourselves to another who may not even be saved.
This is where the Bible talks about the oneness that occurs in sexual intercourse. I Cor 6:16-20.
We need to heed the warnings that the Bible gives. Our culture says sexual sins are ok. After the deed is done, the ‘victims’ suddenly realize their great error. They have fallen prey to Satan.
Is this sin a problem with lust? Maybe. Sex is not the only thing that man lusts after. We lust after many things. I’m not sure how we learn our lesson. Through repeated hard knocks, I guess, until we figure out that the Bible knows what it is talking about and pay attention.
I think the best defence against sexual temptation is to run in the opposite direction right away. We do need to set up boundaries for ourselves and maintain them for our own safety.
Should be have compassion on a sinner? Sure. But there should be some consequences as well. David’s sin with Bathsheba cost many Israelite lives at God’s hand.
I kind of like what Paul the apostle says in scripture. ‘If however, I am guilty of doing anything deserving death, I do not refuse to die.’ Acts 25:11
In the OT sexual sins required the death of the sinner. In the NT Jesus provides some grace to the woman caught in adultery. However, scripture also says that no adulterer will enter into the kingdom of heaven. We have to take sins seriously as believers and take steps to stop sinning.
I will pray for your Sunday service Bill. I pray that the Holy Spirit will work with you as you minister to God’s people.
You are right Linda. it is a common temptation for men and women. Sometimes the best thing to do is run.
Yes we all need grace. Not one stone was thrown at the adulterous woman.
We shouldn’t judge others because their sin is different than ours. We all sin, we all need grace and we should all give grace.
So why don’t we? Guess it goes back to us all needing grace.
It’s a never ending cycle.
It is time to break the cycle when it comes to grace.
When I preached this passage and topic several months or more back I said:
The grass is greener over the septic tank. David choose to walk in a whole lot of dung because he wanted that green grass and in the end it was not worth it but regardless he needed to be shown grace and love.
Give them Heaven my friend!
Like the analogy of the septic tank Jim. Thanks.
Praying now Bill for your message and that the Holy Spirit will make His intended impact. Wherever you go there you are. Is the grass ever truly the objective?
Thanks for your prayers tom. And in answer to your question: No.
MY brother wish I could be there to hear this sermon. I could sit in the pew and wave my white ankie, softly saying, preach it brother, preach it. at 65 I can do that now and not be offensive, ha. Blessing on your sermon.
Thanks Betty. your prayers would be much appreciated.
I’m so glad that the Bible reveals the flaws of godly people. I’m so glad that we’ve got records of Paul saying that he does what he doesn’t want to do because of the sin nature in him.
If the reality is that we’re in a battle, it would be horrible to gloss over that. Hearing real stories of struggle and real stories of failure help us realize our own need to be strong.
But to your thoughts about greener grass: it’s amazing our inability to accurately see things. I know it’s so easy for me to look at other’s lives, family, situations, finances, or what have you – and see what I wish were true in my life. But most of that is just because of my complete lack of seeing clearly.
I too am glad the Bible reveals flaws. Puts things into perspective for me as well. perfect? No. Forgiven? Yes. Useful? Most definitely. Def agree with your last paragraph.
I was praying extra for you over the weekend, I know that sounds strange, but God just laid it on my heart, I didn’t realize what your message topic was about. “2 Cor. 12:9 “His grace is sufficient for me.”
Doesn’t sound strange Jan. I needed it. Felt oppression all weekend. Thanks.