The Trouble with a Defensive Spirit

2 Samuel 10:1-7 KJV

And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.

Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David's servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.

And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?

Wherefore Hanun took David's servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.

When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.

And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men.

And when David heard of it, he sent Joab, and all the host of the mighty men.

What a mess took place because an act of kindness was misunderstood. David's intentions, in sending the messengers, were completely innocent. Nahash, king of the children of Ammon, had done him a kindness. David's only desire upon hearing the news of his death was to honor that kindness. But his intentions were misread. Hanun's advisors believed they were there as spies and abused them. Of course, David was upset, but war was not the inevitable thing.

• Negotiations
• Apologies
• Diplomacy

might well have avoided this war. 

But Hanun chose instead to hire other kings, enemies of the Jews, to bolster his army. This aggression had to be answered. The Syrians first and the Ammonites after may have avoided all of the loss of life in their armies if they had only chosen diplomacy instead of aggression. 

Too often our own battles come upon us because of misunderstandings and misinterpretations of another's action. Too often further harm and injury might have been avoided if, rather than taking up an offense, we seek peace with a brother or a sister. 

What a shame when division and hard feelings hinder the work of the Lord, all because we took up a sword instead of a spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation.