2 Samuel 11:26 - 12:10, 13-15
Proper 6 (11) - Year C
2 Samuel 11:26-12:10, 13-15 1 or Kings 21:1-10, (11-14), 15-21a
It would be easy to get lost in a comparison of these two tales - there are so many parallels and distinctions to be made, so many allusions to other events (before and after).
One of these is not the real story holding an optimal moral. Both of them recount realities in lives we lead. A key task is discernment of application.
Wherein have we fallen short and made things increasingly worse? Disaster comes and echoes on. Wherein have we fallen short and cut our losses? Disaster still comes, and goes.
Sweet Honey in the Rock has a marvelous song entitled Greed. A recurring line,
"I've been thinking about how to talk about greed"
leads into a helpful way of coming at both these passages. The whole song is wonderfully challenging and recommended (YouTube derivative).
- - -
how am I greedy?
let me count the ways!
no, pride would set in
for my greed knows no boundsan easy measurement
tells you about your greed
for everywhere yours shows up
mine surfaces in competitionwhether tidbit greedy
or ravenously
bit-by-bit or all-at-once
disaster slouches nearerhorrible bad day momentum
feeds on our avoidance
of acknowledgment
and back-room dealsaddiction to greed
is a powerful aphrodisiac
for the Narcissus clone
that carries our nameno morals obtain here
G*D is revealed in our greed
we live and die attaining
controlling and more
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2007_06_01_archive.html
Leadership led astray by its own sense of divine right and might-makes-right is no new story. A little preemption here, a little preemption there and pretty soon underlying arrogance and exclusion from responsibility begins to show through.
No matter how you cut it, the missing verses from 2 Samuel (11-12) sum it up - "you think you acted in secret, but your consequence will be viewed by all."
The national parallels from long-ago to today are striking. There is nothing new under the sun. What may be less noticed is how the responsible parties are not just the leaders but, in a democracy, also you and I. How we have conspired together - leaders and people to steal property, to press our advantage, to dissemble, to plot with lies.
How far can you draw out the parallels before you are accused of meddling and subject to the same end as Naboth and Uriah? Is it worth that end to bring lies to light? How about simply calling out, "Enough!"
How long can we not draw out the parallels before we lose our ability to follow in Nathan's footsteps? What penalty will we receive if we do not raise the questions? What justification can we give if we allow another to be wounded because we failed to enlighten the leaders through the only means sometimes available, a court jester's tale?
Whether put winsomely like Nathan or bluntly like Elijah, we shall also speak truth to power.
http://www.kairoscomotion.org/lectionary/2004/june2004.html
Presuming G*D's level of involvement with David – Teacher's Pet – there is no reason not to presume G*D's level of involvement with a new born – Moral Lesson – or with G*D's level of involvement with you – _______.
A question to be asked: If sin is not the last word, forgiveness is, how does that apply to a baby as well as to David?
Are we here into an earlier version of blood atonement? If so how do parse out whether this is G*D speaking or Nathan's understanding (like all of us getting some things spot on while wildly missing the mark on something else)? Is this something still being worked out with G*D, like a flood? Might G*D not also repent of this (particularly seeing how poorly the rest of the children turned out) tit-for-tat response and later disavow it when dealing with another baby – Jesus (to live in the midst of the messiness of life, not to die as a moral lesson or doctrinal point)?
As you wrestle with this passage can you see forgiveness as a larger word than sin, not just for David, but also Baby ben David? Does forgiveness really take us further than scapegoats and mandatory atonement? In a community's life as well as in an individual's?
http://kcmlection.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html