SHIELDED

Living with three brothers and faced with grade school bullies, I learned some coping mechanisms that didn't quite work. But it was all I knew to do. When the word bullets started flying, we learned to shoot the word missiles back. So when somebody said, "You're an ugly freckle-faced punk," (which they did) my retort may have been, "I know you are but what am I?" Or "I'm rubber but you are glue. Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you." 

Childhood can be hard. And as a parent, you want to step in and rescue or bully back. But that only makes things worse in the long run. 

It happens to leaders, too. Someone close to you will misunderstand your actions. Someone will be jealous. Someone will take shots at you on social media. And you can't defend yourself. What can we do? 

King David, the one who killed Goliath, had a beautiful son named Absalom. Beautiful, thick, midnight-colored hair. Probably buff and built like Chris Hemsworth. History records that he got miffed at his Dad and started sitting at the city gates. Greeting people with his winsome personality, "So the King hasn't done much for you. Sorry. Well, if I was King, things would be a lot different. Here's my card if he can't help you." Nursing a grudge against his Dad, Absalom turned to full-blown insurrection. Word bullets. Zingers he knew would eventually get back to the palace. And this was the point: "I'm hurting, so I'm going to hit Dad where it hurts." 

Now David has brought this on himself, partly because of his disobedience and sin with Bathsheba. But it happened before then, too. Through no fault of his own, that we know of, Saul his mentor, would turn on him and be jealous, would chase him, try to kill him. But few parents name their sons Saul. And millions name their son David.

There is no guarantee that because you do the right thing that someone close to you won’t turn on you, and say something hurtful. What to do?

"You were never there for me." Even though you know the hours, the money, the prayers, that were poured out on their behalf. 

"You only use people for your own benefit."

"You've never loved me." 

Sometimes we're guilty. And we need to repent. But sometimes we have to acknowledge that someone is a bully, or a manipulator, or in Absalom's case, an arrogant person who wants their own way enough to abuse you in the process. 

David gives us a prayerful solution for these seasons. He writes a song on this occasion which has a heading:  

A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.

This is the occasion. And here is his response. 

O Lord, how many are my foes!
    Many are rising against me;
2 many are saying of my soul,
    “There is no salvation for him in God.”
(Psalm 3:1,2)

Yep. Been there. With a grimace toward heaven, a cry from the gut, "Is everyone against me? Do you hear what they're saying, God?" 

Yet David continues, "But You oh Lord are a shield about me, my glory and the lifter of my head." 

So follower of Jesus, you are shielded. Leader, you have a heavenly missile defense system. Not from every unjust word and every untimely attack. But God can keep you from being decimated by the attacks. It may hurt but it doesn't have to take you out. The Lord is your shield.