2 Samuel 6:21,22
‘But David said to Michal, “I was before the LORD, who preferred me to your father and to all his house, to appoint me as ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel. So I will celebrate before the LORD! And I might demean myself even more than this and be lowly in my own sight, but with the female slaves of whom you have spoken, with them I am to be held in honor!”’
We love David on every level. He's a man's man, he's God's man and he's held in honor with the maid's. We all dream of great comebacks. Jesus also gave great comebacks. He often silenced the most eloquent, but also the most judgmental ones in His day.
Not that I'm better than them, but I always feel guilty after saying one. I feel like it's repaying evil for evil (Romans 12:17). I feel guilty as I'm attempting to generate a sharp response. I've long since avoided this practice.
Paul described how people have different convictions. Romans 14 gives a great description of this. In verse 14, he says, "I am convinced and fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for him it is unclean." I am one that can't ponder comebacks.
God made us all different. We have our personality make ups along with our strengths and weaknesses. This is all His design. In all this wonder, we have areas of sensitivity. We shouldn't go against them. To me it's unclean to ponder comebacks. Therefore I am not to do them.
Can we change? In some areas. There are some areas that were forbidden to my conscience that now no longer bother me. In Romans 14 Paul speaks of strength and weakness. Theoretically it seems that if we get stronger in our faith, we can get over particular convictions. That may be.
I don't think that's how God wants us to spend our time, trying to increase our freedoms. As we walk with Him in time these are byproducts, they aren't to be our focus. We are to love God and love others. If freedoms increase, God be praised, if the don't, God be praised.
We aren't to be envious of others. They may have freedoms that we don't. Jesus and Peter had an exchange illustrating this in John 21:21,22, '"So Peter, upon seeing him, *said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?” Jesus *said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!”' It can't get any clearer. Get our eyes off others and on Jesus.
By focusing on others we attempt to adopt their freedoms and run into problems. I Corinthians 8:7 says, "However, not all people have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled." Paul is saying that idols aren't real, so feel free to eat their meat. But some who are weaker will feel guilty by this practice. They don't have those strengths and should avoid some practices.
The other side of the coin is for believers not to stumble others with their freedoms. Verse 9 of that same chapter says, "But take care that this freedom of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak." Another freedom is drinking alcohol. Some may have addictions to it. We shouldn't drink in their presence. It could stumble them and they could relapse. As we get to know our friends we learn about their weakness. Love avoids them.
We can also celebrate the freedoms others have. I love Jesus' and David's comebacks. They are heroes. Just because it's not for me doesn't mean I can't enjoy their comebacks.
Psalm 139:14 "I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Marvelous are Your works, and I know this very well." David is grateful for the man God made him to be. We should be the same. We've got the strengths and gifts God's given us. We also have the weaknesses and limitations. We need to embrace those and be thankful for them as well. Paul boasted in his weaknesses (2 Corinthians 12:9). Even weaknesses have a purpose. Don't be envious other's freedoms. There are reasons we don't know about. Leave that to God and be like David and be thankful for who we are.
Lord, thank You for the freedoms You've given us. Help us to enjoy them responsibly. Help us also to not be envious of other's freedoms, but to cheer them on. Thank You for the freedoms and the weaknesses and that You will be glorified in all of them.