Trials in the Field

A few times a week we are shown some horrific story on Facebook, or elsewhere on the net, or on the news, and are urged to render judgement as to what should be done with so horrible a miscreant.

This is the story of the Prophet Natan who was sent to King David after David had Uriah killed in order to take his wife, Bat Sheva.

And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him: 'There were two men in one city: the one rich, and the other poor.

The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds;

but the poor man had nothing save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and reared; and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own morsel, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him, but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.'

And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan: 'As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this deserveth to die;

and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.'

And Nathan said to David: 'Thou art the man.

2 Samuel Chapter 1

Whenever we are confronted with a story about someone who did something terrible and are asked: What should we do to such a one? Know this: the details of the infraction have been changed just enough for us not to be able to readily recognize that it is we who are being described and the punishment we decree, is the one we bring on ourselves.

Let's resolve to seek correction, not punishment.