THE BEAUTY OF SELFLESSNESS

*** NOTE: Tomorrow (Saturday), I am departing for some training in South Carolina before heading to my next Navy assignment in Djibouti Africa where I will be for one year. I do intend on continuing to write daily but my post times might be a little off at times, especially after I get overseas, so please bear with me. It continues to be a pleasure to partner with the Lord in ministry to you and I ask that you please keep Grace and I in prayer as we endure what will be our last separation before I retire. God bless you all and I look forward to our continued fellowship as we journey with Christ Jesus through Spirit and the Word. In Christ, Mark

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Barzillai the Gileadite also came down from Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and to send him on his way from there. Now Barzillai was a very old man, eighty years of age. He had provided for the king during his stay in Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man. The king said to Barzillai, "Cross over with me and stay with me in Jerusalem, and I will provide for you."

But Barzillai answered the king, "How many more years will I live, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? I am now eighty years old. Can I tell the difference between what is good and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats and drinks? Can I still hear the voices of men and women singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? Your servant will cross over the Jordan with the king for a short distance, but why should the king reward me in this way? Let your servant return, that I may die in my own town near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever pleases you."

The king said, "Kimham shall cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever pleases you. And anything you desire from me I will do for you."

So all the people crossed the Jordan, and then the king crossed over. The king kissed Barzillai and gave him his blessing, and Barzillai returned to his home.

When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham crossed with him. All the troops of Judah and half the troops of Israel had taken the king over.

2 Samuel 19:31-40

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

As David began his return to Jerusalem in Chapter 19, we have seen him run into some people from his past.

First, he encountered Shimei who had cursed him and his men as they fled Jerusalem but as they reunited threw himself at David’s feet and asked for mercy which David granted.

Then, David encountered Mephibosheth who had not went with David when he fled because he was crippled. You’ll recall that Mephibosheth was Jonathan’s son and so Saul would have been his grandfather. David sought to show God’s kindness to Mephibosheth and did so by granting him all the land that had belonged to Saul and allowing him to dine at the royal table. Additionally, David appointed a special steward for Mephibosheth named Ziba and you’ll remember Ziba giving David a false account as to why Mephibosheth had not joined him as he fled Jerusalem, causing David to give Ziba all he had given Mephibosheth. You’ll also recall that as David reencountered Mephibosheth on his return, he learned the real truth as to why Mephibosheth had not come along and thus restored half of the original land of Saul back to him.

Finally, we see in our passage today that David meets “Barzillai the Gileadite” who had come down from “Rogelim to cross the Jordan with the king and…send him on his way from there.

As with the first two men David met, Barzillai was not a stranger. For as David and his people fled and became hungry, thirsty and tired, they came to the town of Mahanaim where they were provided “bedding and bowls and articles of pottery” as well as “wheat and barley, flour and roasted grain, beans and lentils, honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from cows' milk” by three men, one of which being Barzillai.

Now scripture tells us that Barzillai was a “very old man, eighty years of age” and was also “a very wealthy man”. David, remembering the great hospitality that Barzillai had shown him and the people in Mahanaim, asked him to "Cross over with me and stay with me in Jerusalem, and I will provide for you."

This was quite an offer because not many people were granted an audience with the king let alone become provided for by him. The request had to be pretty enticing for a man who was up in years and could use easy accommodation as he continued to grow older.

But in Barzillai, we see something special…an attitude of selflessness.

For we see Barzillai answer David’s offer by saying:

“How many more years will I live, that I should go up to Jerusalem with the king? I am now eighty years old. Can I tell the difference between what is good and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats and drinks? Can I still hear the voices of men and women singers? Why should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? Your servant will cross over the Jordan with the king for a short distance, but why should the king reward me in this way? Let your servant return, that I may die in my own town near the tomb of my father and mother. But here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever pleases you."

Well after Barzillai’s reply, David honored his request, allowing the servant Kinham to cross over the Jordan with him and promising to do whatever pleases him. And David wouldn’t allow Barzillai to go completely free from his gratitude because he further promised to do anything that Barzillai desired from him.

And with that, “all the people crossed the Jordan” followed by David. And as he crossed over, David “kissed Barzillai and gave him his blessing” before “Barzillai returned to his home” while Kinham crossed with David to Gilgal, richly blessed beyond his dreams because of the selfless actions of Barzillai…actions that allowed Kinham to be with his king.

I couldn’t help but think about Jesus when I read this scripture. For He had secured His audience with the King already…because He was the King’s Son. Jesus was set and could have just looked out for Himself. I mean, who did He have to fear? Who was greater or more powerful than Him?

And yet, Jesus, like Barzillai, showed us the beauty of selflessness when He decided to put Himself aside so that we all could have an audience with the King too. Consider the following passage:

When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him, along with the criminals — one on His right, the other on His left. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up His clothes by casting lots.

The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let Him save himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One."

The soldiers also came up and mocked Him. They offered Him wine vinegar and said, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself." Luke 23:33-37

“Let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”

“If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.”

The challenges echoed to the ears of Jesus as He hung bleeding, suffering and dying on the cross. Little did those who mocked Him realize that He COULD have saved Himself and struck all of them dead in a moment’s notice. Jesus didn’t have to die for these ungracious people…but He did…and He did so with an added measure of forgiveness as He says to His Father, the King:

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

And so He died a criminal’s death on that cross…this Almighty, Loving, Powerful Savior…and in doing so decided that saving all of us was a far greater and noble act than saving Himself.

Friends, in Christ Jesus, we see the beauty of selflessness fully revealed…a beauty that He expects us to model in our own lives. For through His actions, we see that what’s most important in life is not what we do for ourselves but rather what we do for one another. And this attitude is what led Paul to write the following Christ-inspired words to the Romans:

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Romans 12:3

Let us live out this verse in our every day lives, thinking of ourselves with sober judgment and not considering ourselves to be higher than we are. For when we do this, we will reflect the very Spirit of Jesus…who taught us the full beauty of selflessness by revealing it first in Himself. Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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