I Chronicles 15:29
“When the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David dancing and celebrating; and she despised him in her heart.”
This is difficult for David. His wife despises His fear of God. This is more than a normal annoyance that everyone has. She doesn’t respect him. This is tough, especially when this is ones life partner. We’ll learn later that God closes who womb over this.
I want to focus on dealing with those that don’t like us. We all have this. It’s difficult. I can’t imagine how difficult this would have been for David. He probably knew this about his wife. It didn’t stop him from serving God and celebrating before God with the people.
Isaiah 2:22 says, “Stop regarding man in whose nostrils is breath, for of what account is he?” Don’t walk on egg shells. Be confident. Those that don’t like us will never give their approval. If they do, it won’t be because of our groveling. It would be because we confidently lived without regard to them.
If we focus on those that don’t like us, we are plagued by those thoughts. I had a situation in which someone in my friend group ignored me. For months this made me mad. In time I got over it and would be kind to him and interact with him if the circumstance arrived. I didn’t worry if he reciprocated. After several months, he would engage me in conversation. Prior to that, I don’t think he ever asked me a question. That one worked out. Most don’t.
That experience was a good lesson for me. I haven’t had someone in my sphere act that way since high school. The wrestling with my anger, then eventually not worrying about it was important. I’m not young and I’m still learning these things.
2 Samuel 6:20 says, ‘Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today!” she said. “He has uncovered himself today in the sight of the maidservants of his subjects, like a vulgar person would do.”’ This was cutting criticism.
We will have people say mean things to us. How do we deal with this? It depends if we trust them. If we don’t, Proverbs 26:4 gives good advice, “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be like him.”
Lord, help us not to fear man, but You. Thank You for maturing us and using our difficulties to make us better. Help us to love others even though they can be mean.