Oh, David.  You have so much to teach me!  I mean, the Biblical David.  Not some David I know.  Although I'm sure I could glean wisdom from the David's I know.  But, David--the shepherd boy turned king.  So human and normal.  And someone who messed up.  Big time.  Which is what I was reading about today.  Misery loves company--because I almost reveled in remembering how imperfect David was.

In case you missed it, you can read a pretty juicy tale in 2 Samuel 11 and 12.  It rivals prime time television, for sure.  A king who chose to sit in his comfortable palace instead of going off to war like kings were supposed to do in the spring, according to 2 Samuel 11:1. He delegated the task, in other words, that was clearly his to tackle.  I can relate to that.  I'd much rather sit around and be served and sleep in my own bed and be comfortable than out in some battlefield.  Duh.  

But, I think the point here is that David was not where he was supposed to be. And that, my bloggy friends, is the first stepping stone in any slippery slope.  I'm telling you--anytime we knowingly choose to be somewhere where we aren't supposed to be--we make ourselves vulnerable.  Just a little side note bonus tip for you today.  It pays boatloads in avoiding temptations and potential heartache when we simply go where we are supposed to be. And avoid anywhere else.

So, for David, one thing led to another--as it often does when we get tangled up in a sinful mess.  We never intend to end up where we do.  But, before he knew it, David had slept with a married lady.  Gotten her pregnant.  Tried to cover it up by having her soldier husband come home from the war to be with her.  But he refused. To be blunt, he was more a man of honor in this story than the anointed king David.  So, what's a king to do?  Well, he plotted to have the husband killed in battle.  Intentionally.  He basically hired a hit man in the form of the enemy army at the battlefront.  

Adultery.  Murderous plotting.  Lying.  Cover up.  Followed by taking this new widow as his very own wife.  Sounds like a perfect crime.  Now he and his new Mrs. can enjoy that new baby on its way and act like nothing ever happened.

Except that it did.  And people knew.  A palace full of servants, among them.  And we see the brave and courageous Nathan step up to the plate to call out the king in 2 Samuel 12:1-14.  Whoa.  This guy must have had a death wish.  Because look at the facts.  He knew the fate of Uriah--the husband.  He knew that the innocent man was essentially killed by David to cover this whole mess up. 

So, what made Nathan take the chance?  As an adviser to David, did he have a confidence in David's heart for God?  Did he believe that David would ultimately right his wrong?  Or, was he just that bold for God, that no matter the consequences, he stuck his neck out for the sake of speaking truth and demanding justice?  

Oh, Nathan.  I want to know more about you!  I admire this man that some might call foolish for taking the chance.  As Jennie Allen points out in my Bible study today, when she pointed us to 1 Corinthians 1:27: