Oh, how quick Christians are to criticize any and all Christian leaders with whom they may disagree. As defenders of truth, it is certainly understandable and I am guilty of participating in such activity myself (for example I was very critical of Rick Warren's evangelism methods as outlined in his book The Purpose Driven Life). Certainly, there is a time and place for rebuke and exhortation of fellow believers. No doubt we are all called into the realm of apologetics in one form or another. However, I am convicted from my own experience that in my desire to defend the gospel from distortions and heresy, I have rarely done so in gentleness and respect. That is, it has rarely been "wrapped in love", by the power of the Spirit, as Paul so carefully instructed us to do.
So, my question is simple. What would happen if King David were alive today and one of our leaders? Or on the flip side, what would happen if all Christians were living back in his time and place. What would be said about him, really?? I do wonder how many of us, myself included, would be quick to condemn him for many of the things he did, of which we do not approve.
What about his adultery with Bathsheba? (2 Samuel 11)
Or orchestrating the murder of her husband Uriah? (2 Samuel 11)
Or how about the ecclesiastical no-no when he and his men went into the sanctuary and fed on the showbread? (1 Samuel 21)
We can understand these things in hindsight, but what if they happened before our eyes? Just something to consider and apply to the here and now.
