Reconciling the Community

Synopsis    2Sam 14:3-12     12/26/2018 

Joab wanted King David to reconcile with his exiled son Absalom. So, in order to persuade the king, he found a wise woman to ostensibly “seek justice” from the king. She posed as a widow. And she told the king a story of how one of her two sons had killed the other. As a result, the first son was to be killed as justice under the law of Moses.  

But, she pointed out, if her son was killed for the sake of justice, then she would have no sons. And, she would have no means. She would become destitute. And she questioned how that could be good and just.

So, King David granted her request. He issued a moratorium preventing injury to her sole surviving son.  

Wise Woman of Tekoa 

After killing Amnon, Absalom fled to Geshur, a kingdom to the north of Israel. He went to Geshur because he had relatives there. In fact, the king of Geshur was Absalom’s grandfather. For David had married Maacah, the daughter of the king of Geshur, as one of his wives. 

Joab wanted David and Absalom reconciled. From his perspective, he did not think it wise to have a royal son exiled and protected by a foreign king. The situation represented a threat to David’s throne and to the leadership of Israel.  

So, Joad sent a “wise woman” to David with a contrived story about her two sons. She told the story in order to induce David to give mercy to a surviving son who had murdered his brother.  

Joab’s plan was to get David to admit that extenuating circumstances sometimes justified mercy. And when he admitted to this, then he would be able to grant mercy to Absalom. At least, so Joab thought.  

Reconciling The Community 

Community is at its best when the people are united. Division and discord undermine the benefits of community. And distrust along with mutual contempt tend to destroy the good of living in community.  

But in every community I have ever experienced, there are always unavoidable elements of division and discord. Each of us comes to community with expectations and desires. And when my expectations and desires go unmet, then it’s easy for me to feel undervalued and distrustful. 

So, become a peacemaker. And, look for ways to be reconciled. I’m not talking about “forgive and forget”. Honor the reality of injury (nobody ever really forgets), but commit to the common good of community anyway.  

Reconciliation requires determined effort. This is about “forgive and accept the other person once again”.  

“How good and how pleasant it is, when brothers dwell together as one!” Psalm 133:1