2 Samuel 15:1-6 – Seek to be grateful and shun ingratitude

David and Absalom were finally reconciled. Everything seemed alright on the surface. However, there were more than meet the eyes. Above the seeming calm, many troubles were brewing underneath. Absalom was plotting a mutiny. He was bent on usurping his father’s throne. In these verses, the strategies he deployed were described. Verse 1 tells us that he began first by acquiring for himself a chariot and horses. When he rode his chariot into the city, he had 50 runners who went ahead of him to herald his arrival. This was intended to attract the attention of the people, thus giving the prince a rousing welcome.  

Secondly, he would wake up early and station himself beside the way to the gate and greet the people as they entered the city. He was doing his walkabout. Walking the ground so to speak. Thirdly, he endeared the people to himself by appearing to take a personal interest in their problems. He would engage them one by one. After hearing an issue, he would tell that person that his issue was legitimate and then would insinuate that the king was not really interested in their problems. He virtually told each one he spoke to that if the king had any interest to help, the least he could do was to send a representative to hear them out. Then he would lament and say, “Oh that one would appoint me to judge in the land, then every man who has any suit or cause could come to me and I would give him justice.” He was hinting that he would gladly do the job, but the king would not give him the opportunity. Fourthly, he would do everything to give the people the impression that he was with them. He made himself appealing to the people in that whenever anyone came near to show respect to him, he would humbly hold that person and kiss him at the cheek. His intention was to make them feel that he was treating them as his equal and that he was one with them. Slowly but surely Absalom stole the hearts of the people from his father.

This episode has much to teach us about decorum and gratitude. David had underestimated Absalom. He was too kind for not holding him to his wrong and had treated him with generosity by allowing him to return to the court. But like a dog that bites his master hand, Absalom maligned his father. He was too greedy for power. So he denigrated his own father to steal the hearts of the people in his scheme to grab power. Greed always generates ingratitude. The truth in life is this: if we are not happy with what we have, we will not be happy even when we are given more. Learn to be grateful for what we already have, while honestly pursue our life’s goal. We must learn to live life with gratitude and thankfulness. Take an advice from Charles Spurgeon who said, “We should shun ingratitude and live daily in the heavenly atmosphere of thankful love.”