| I Chronicles 3:1-2 “Now these were the sons of David, which were born unto him in Hebron; the firstborn Amnon . . . the second Daniel . . . The third, Absalom . . . the fourth, Adonijah. . . .” How many happy families of privilege can you name? That is, can you name a family that has a privileged status in our country that is happy? Historically, prominent families in politics or business have enjoyed privileged status as well as overwhelming tragedy. Think of the Kennedy family and the Rockefeller family. We are reminded of another family of privilege in the Bible in I Chronicles 3-the family of David. Most of us have heard of Amnon, Absalom, and Adonijah; most of us have never heard of David’s son Daniel, Shephatiah, or Ithream.
For what is Amnon known? His sin with Tamar and being killed by his brother. For what is Absalom known? Being a rebel and overthrowing the kingdom. Who killed him? His dad’s general. Adonijah is perhaps the lesser known of David’s popular sons, but he tried to wrestle the kingdom away and was killed by his brother. Out of six sons, we are only familiar with three, and those three are most known for their tragic end!
David’s family illustrates the truth that being born into privilege is not as good as dying with honor. The two are not mutually exclusive, but usually they are. Being born into privilege usually works against your living and dying with honor. You cannot live and die with honor until you get past your privileged status!
Why did David’s sons live hard lives and die tragic deaths? I’m not trying to be overly harsh on David, but it is clear, isn’t it? Take Amnon for example. The truth is, he died in dishonor because he lived in privilege. Because he was the king’s son, he felt entitled to something that was clearly wrong. The Bible says of Adonijah, “And his father had not displeased him at any time. . . .” (I Kings 1:6) The story of David’s family is a story about the tragedy of a privileged family and a passive father. Living in privilege led to dishonorable living and a dishonorable death.
You may not be from a privileged family like the Kennedys or Rockefellers, but in many ways, you do enjoy privileges based on what you know, what you do, and who you meet. Your kids will have the last word on your life. David had great vision for the kingdom and for his country, but he was passive with his family. It would be better to have less and die in honor than to live in privilege and die in tragedy. |
|
Camp Quotes… “The issues of your life are a result of the decisions of your heart.“ -Evangelist Chris Miller
Prayer Requests: 1. Salvation of unsaved teen, junior, and deaf campers 2. Safety for staff and campers 3. A special word from Brother Rice about summer staff needs |