The Art of Spear-Dodging
As David played his harp for the king, Saul hurled his spear at David in an attempt to kill him. But David dodged out of the way…. (I Sam. 19:9-10 NLT).
A pastor was walking through the narthex of his church when he saw a young boy staring at the large marble plaque on the wall. Entitled “In Remembrance,” the plaque had two columns of names with a small American flag next to each one. “Who are these people?” the boy asked. “Johnny, these are the names of the men and women who died in the service.” Swallowing hard, Johnny asked, “Was it the 9:00 or the 11:00?”
Church can be a dangerous place! Few people understood this sobering reality better than David. It was one thing when Goliath, the blasphemous Philistine, attacked David with a spear. 1 But it was another thing entirely when the one hurling spears at him was Saul; his kinsman, boss, father-in-law, and king! Had he not learned the art of spear-dodging, his life and legacy would have been snuffed out before it even began.
God was preparing David for future leadership. And one of the best ways to learn to be a good leader is to serve a bad one! Learning to dodge spears was an essential component of his training. On three separate occasions, Saul threw a spear at David while he was playing his harp. 2 Fortunately, he missed! (See I Sam. 18:10-11; 19:9-10). Perhaps Saul was simply a bad shot. I believe, however, that the bigger lesson being taught here is that David was learning the art of spear-dodging. This is basic training for anyone aspiring to future leadership.
What do you do when someone throws a spear at you? How do you respond when a family member, friend, or teammate hurls insults and accusations in your direction? If you are like me, your first inclination is to pick up the spear and throw it back! However, David did not respond like that, not even once. Rather, he found godly ways to respond to ungodly provocations. And his actions and attitudes are an example for us today.
So, what should you do when someone throws a spear at you?
Choose to do God’s will in this situation.
This is harder than it sounds. But if we are to grow in grace and profit from this leadership training program in which God has placed us, we must learn to see this attack as a divinely orchestrated opportunity to glorify him. Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God (I Cor. 10:31). When someone assaults you, you have the opportunity:
To trust in God. Don’t put confidence in your adeptness at evasive maneuvers or your skills in retaliation. Rather, put your faith in God and his unfailing promises.
To love your enemies. The world will know we are Christians by the way we love those who throw spears at us. “Bless those who persecute you… Repay no one evil for evil… Never avenge yourselves… Overcome evil with good.” (Rom. 12:14,17,19,21).
To grow in Christlikeness. Jesus knew what it was like to be on the wrong end of a spear! In absorbing the attack rather than retaliating, he exposed the sin and robbed it of its power.
Make sure that you have not done something to “deserve” the attack.
When attacked, it is easy to assume the worst about our adversary’s motives. But pause and consider: Did I do something to provoke this conflict? The purpose of such self-examination is not to excuse the attacker’s behavior but to make sure our own actions and attitudes have been just and pure. It is sobering to realize how blind we can be to our belligerent words and deeds. Before we can address the situation redemptively, we must be sure that we have taken responsibility for any fault we may carry. Jesus spoke plainly about situations like this: Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? … You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye (Matt. 7:3,5).
When appropriate, confront your attacker.
On numerous occasions David wanted to talk to Saul about their relationship in the hopes that he would stop his violent attacks. But rational discourse with a mentally deranged king was impossible and reconciliation never happened. Therefore, David had no recourse but to flee. Thank God that most of our conflicts do not reach this level of intensity. Many spear-throwers can be drawn back into healthy relationships if the right steps are followed.
If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector. (Matt. 18:15-17 NLT).
Forgive your offender and, if possible, be reconciled.
The ultimate weapon in the Christian’s arsenal is forgiveness. Just as God has forgiven us, so we are to forgive. Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive us our sins, just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us” (Matt. 6:12 NLT). To forgive the spear-thrower does not mean that we are excusing his actions or pretending there are no consequences for his behavior. Nor does it mean we cease to be vigilant when we are in his presence the next time! Rather, forgiveness means that we do not allow the poison on the tip of that spear to infect our own spirits.
Get the point?
1 Goliath’s spear was huge! The shaft was the size of a weaver’s beam, and the iron spearhead weighed 15 pounds (see I Sam. 17:7). 2 This was the first occasion in recorded history when an older person threw a spear at a teenager singing praise songs with a “guitar”. Unfortunately, it was not the last!
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