Sticks and Stones

Reflections on 2 Samuel 16:5-1
Use the frame on the left to read these Scriptures.


The old saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me," is not entirely true. Although words do not damage the physical body, they do cause emotional pain. Consequently, self-control and faith are required to keep from retaliating when attacked verbally. David exemplified that self-control and faith when Shimei cursed him as he fled Jerusalem.

INSULTS. Shimei yelled at David like one would chase away a troublesome dog, "Get out, get out!" Then he called David a "man of blood" equating him with a common murderer for the way he had treated Saul's family (a false accusation, by the way). He also called him a "scoundrel," which means something like "worthless" or even "pernicious" (later, Belial would become a name for Satan). When David didn't respond, Shimei threw stones at him as if David was a fleeing dog and threw dust in the air. Shimei felt justified in his verbal and physical insults because he saw what was happening as the Lord repaying David for his evil deeds.

SELF-CONTROL. In response, Abishai insulted Shimei calling him a "dead dog" when he requested permission to kill Shimei. David refused to retaliate. He did not have the vengeful disposition of his nephews. Perhaps surprisingly, David recognized that Shimei's curses were perhaps part of God's discipline, not for his treatment of Saul's family but for his sin with Bathsheba which was the cause of his family problems and with Absalom. He would not himself punish Shimei if this all was the Lord's doing.

TRUST. Instead of retaliating, David chose to trust God. He thought that perhaps God, seeing the evil accusations that he endured patiently, would repay him with good. David entrusted himself to the Lord, who judges justly. God did repay him with good, and brought him back to Jerusalem. When he returned, Shimei met David in humble submission, like a dog with his tail between his legs.

David was patient and self-controlled partly because he knew his afflictions were the Lord's discipline and, more importantly, because he trusted the Lord to do what was right. His promised descendant, Jesus, who was without sin, also endured affliction patiently leaving us an example that we should follow.

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
-- 1 Peter 2:21-23 (NIV)