Friends and Foes

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from 2 Samuel 16:1-14. When David was a little past the top of the hill, Ziba, who was the servant of Mephibosheth met him. He had brought a couple of saddled donkeys with him. On the donkeys were two hundred loaves of bread, an hundred bunches of raisins, an hundred summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.

The king asked Ziba, “What do you mean by these?” Ziba replied, the asses are for the king’s household to ride on. The bread and summer fruit are for the young men to eat. The wine is for those who become faint in the wilderness to drink.

The king asked, “Where is your master’s son?” Ziba said to the king, he stayed at Jerusalem. He said, Today the house of Israel will restore the kingdom of my father to me.

The king said to Ziba, yours are all that pertained to Mephibosheth. Ziba said, I humbly beg you that I may find grace in your sight, my lord, O king.

When king David came to Bahurim, there was a man who came out from the family of the house of Saul. His name was Shimei. He was the son of Gera. He came out cursing and casting stones at David, his servants and all the people and mighty men that were there on his right hand and on his left.

Shimei cursed David saying, “Come out, come out, you bloody man, and man of Belial: The LORD has returned to you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned. The LORD has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom, your son: and, you are taken in your mischief, because you are a bloody man.”

Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over, I beg you, and take off his head. The king said, What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Let him curse, because the LORD has said to him, Curse David. Who shall then say, why have you done so?

David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, my son, who came from my bowels, seeks my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? David’s own son had ran him out of town, David wasn’t too worried about this man who was causing them trouble along the way. David told them to leave him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.

It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and that the LORD will repay me good for his cursing today. As David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill’s side beside them, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at them, and threw dirt. The king, and all the people who were with him, became weary, and refreshed themselves there.

Have you ever noticed in life how there will be some who are your friend, they will come along and bless you as Ziba did David. They will do whatever they can to help you. Then, there are those who are your foes, they may come along cursing you as Shimei did to David. They may talk bad about you and throw stones at you, if not literally, figuratively. They may not be brave enough to come out and talk bad about you to your face or in front of other, but they do everything they can to undermine you.

Thank God for the ones who are our friends, like Ziba, who only want the best for us. They are the ones who are blessings in our lives. Lord, help us to know how to deal with the foes, better yet, help us to learn to let you deal with them.

Daily Bible Reading:

2 Samuel 16:1-14

1 And when David was a little past the top of the hill, behold, Ziba the servant of Mephibosheth met him, with a couple of asses saddled, and upon them two hundred loaves of bread, and an hundred bunches of raisins, and an hundred of summer fruits, and a bottle of wine.
2 And the king said unto Ziba, What meanest thou by these? And Ziba said, The asses be for the king’s household to ride on; and the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat; and the wine, that such as be faint in the wilderness may drink.
3 And the king said, And where is thy master’s son? And Ziba said unto the king, Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem: for he said, To day shall the house of Israel restore me the kingdom of my father.
4 Then said the king to Ziba, Behold, thine are all that pertained unto Mephibosheth. And Ziba said, I humbly beseech thee that I may find grace in thy sight, my lord, O king.
5 And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came.
6 And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.
7 And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:
8 The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man.
9 Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.
10 And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?
11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him.
12 It may be that the LORD will look on mine affliction, and that the LORD will requite me good for his cursing this day.
13 And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill’s side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.
14 And the king, and all the people that were with him, came weary, and refreshed themselves there.

Things to think about:

• Who came along to bless David and his people?
• Who came along cursing David and his people?
• Why does there always seem to be both types of people in our lives?
• How can we deal with those who don’t wish us well?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we read this Scripture we see that King David had both fans and foes. Thank you for those who are blessings in our lives. Help us to know how to deal with those who are foes. Protect us from anyone who would want evil for us. Help us to show our appreciation for those who bless us. Your Son, Jesus, is the best blessing of all in our lives. Thank You for Him. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Christian Music Video: “Blessings” ~ Laura Story

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