David's wisdom
| When David arrived in Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, who were his friends, saying, "Here is a present for you from the plunder of the LORD's enemies." (1Samuel30:26) |
It was known that David had previously aligned himself with Achish of the Philistines and so there would be a cloud over David's head: Had he fought with the Philistines against the Israelites?
By sending part of the Amalekite plunder to the elders of Judah, David is establishing his alibi and protecting his credibility. His gifts were not so much a bribe as evidence that he had not been involved in the defeat of Israel and the death of Saul.
David is careful and wise. He protected his credibility.
Josh McDowell, a famous Christian author and speaker, shares a story about how easily credibility could be lost. He was doing a tour - speaking at university campuses - and, as they returned to their hotel, he asked a colleague to check his room before he himself entered. As the man entered Josh's room, he was grabbed and thrown onto the bed into the arms of a scantily clad woman and camera flashes lit up the room. The photos would have damaged Josh's credibility, but the whole thing had backfired. It was simple caution that protected him.
Our credibility and integrity are important to our witness. Like David, we should be wise in protecting these values...
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