Sorting It Out

Sorting It Out
Words of Faith 3-21-25
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2025
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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2 Samuel 19:24-30
[24] Mephibosheth, Saul's grandson, also went down to meet the king. He had not taken care of his feet or trimmed his mustache or washed his clothes from the day the king left until the day he returned safely. [25] When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, "Why didn't you go with me, Mephibosheth?" [26] He said, "My lord the king, since I your servant am lame, I said, 'I will have my donkey saddled and will ride on it, so I can go with the king.' But Ziba my servant betrayed me. [27] And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. My lord the king is like an angel of God; so do whatever pleases you. [28] All my grandfather's descendants deserved nothing but death from my lord the king, but you gave your servant a place among those who sat at your table. So what right do I have to make any more appeals to the king?" [29] The king said to him, "Why say more? I order you and Ziba to divide the fields." [30] Mephibosheth said to the king, "Let him take everything, now that my lord the king has arrived home safely."

When David was ready to cross the Jordan and enter the land again as king, he was met by three people—first, Shimei, who had cursed David. Next, Mephibosheth, whom he understood had deserted him. Finally, Barzillai, who had been a huge help to David.
For Shimei, David chose to forgive rather than exact vengeance. Next came Mephibosheth, who had remained in Jerusalem with the rebels.
David had been told by Ziba, Mephibosheth's servant, that he had defected to the rebels. Because of this betrayal, David announced his plan to award Mephibosheth's land and holdings to Ziba, the servant, but some questions still needed to be answered about that.
This was a big deal. Remember that Mephibosheth was the son of Jonathan and grandson of Saul. Jonathan had been David's best friend growing up. Mephibosheth had been injured as a child during the very battle in which his father and grandfather died. He was only five when his nurse dropped him while trying to escape the calamity of the attack. Both his feet were maimed and he was never able to walk, but David had mercy on him and restored to him his family estate and a commitment of lifelong support.
But as David was fleeing from Jerusalem, Ziba, Mephibosheth's servant, announced to him that Mephibosheth had betrayed him. Ziba further ingratiated himself to David with gifts and then told him that Mephibosheth had been unfaithful and had gained a sweet deal to acquire the family lands.
Now, Mephibosheth was telling a different story. He protested to David that Ziba had lied about the whole thing. He denied that he had been part of the group trying to bring his grandfather's dynasty back into power.
Hmm. The one thing that David could clearly observe was that Mephibosheth needed a bath and a trim. He had not taken care of his feet, trimmed his mustache, or washed his clothes from the day the king left until he returned safely. Whether he was telling the truth or not could not be determined. Still, it indeed appeared that Mephibosheth had been in mourning since David had left Jerusalem. So David did an interesting thing. In sorting things out, he agreed to return at least half of the estate he had threatened to withdraw from him.
There was a principle at work here—the principle of compromise. Unable to determine the degree of truth between these two parties and likely convinced that there was fault on both sides, David split the lands and estate so that both would be provided for in the new Kingdom that was being re-established.
There are times when we cannot determine the truth of a matter between people. In many situations, fault and liability are shared matters. The truth of a matter involving people may come at us from at least two, if not more, directions. While we never want to compromise the truth of God, compromise between parties in conflict can be a pathway to peace.
Do you have a situation in which the "truth of the matter" is in dispute? The Apostle Paul directed believers in Rome to make the person more important than winning the argument. Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters (Romans 14:1). That is what David did. It helped to pave the way for his peaceful return to Jerusalem as king.

Father God, give me Your wisdom. Teach me the things that I must stand on without compromise. Show me the disputable matters that are not as important as the people involved. Please help me see the way to peace. Make me an instrument of Your peace. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2025
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2025 Jeffrey D. Hoy.