
January 29, 2006
Some people seem to have it all... a quick mind...
good looks... and a glib tongue. Add to that growing up in a
family of influence and you’ve got a man who seems destined for
greatness. Such was Absalom, the son of King David.
Unfortunately, he allowed a single character flaw to eat away at
his strengths like rust on iron.
Absalom seemed certain to lead God’s people.
Indeed, his sensitivity to the felt needs of the masses enabled
him to win their hearts and loyalty. While David may have been
beyond their reach—the king’s son walked among the people.
Rubbing shoulders with them. Listening. Laughing. Leading.
Unfortunately Absalom led them in the wrong direction. He
organized a revolution against his father. Ultimately his effort
to take his father’s throne failed and resulted in his own
tragic death.
It’s impossible to read his story without
wondering what went wrong with Absalom. What eroded his
character? What undermined his loyalty? What made his a life of
wasted potential . . . a story of what could have been?
The answer resides in a single word: Bitterness.
Absalom never got over the rape of his sister, Tamar, by one of
David’s other sons, Amnon. The king’s failure to punish Amnon no
doubt stoked Absalom’s anger. Ultimately, that anger drove
Absalom to orchestrate the murder of Amnon. Like black dominos
falling on one another, each event in Absalom’s life led to
another tragedy. After having his half-brother killed, Absalom
hid from his father for three years. No sooner were the two
reconciled than Absalom began using his influence to undermine
the king.
Sadly, the tragedy could have been avoided if
Absalom hadn’t allowed his justifiable anger to turn into
unjustifiable bitterness and his bitterness into rage. Had he
guarded his heart against bitterness the first domino would
never have fallen.
Men, beware. All of your natural and cultivated
leadership skills can be destroyed by bitterness. Every dream
you’ve nurtured and every goal you’ve achieved can be eaten away
by the acidic bile of bitterness. When you or someone you love
is wronged, be ready to forgive. The author of Hebrews offers
sound advice. He said, “See that no one misses the grace of God
and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile
many” (Hebrews 12:15).
So how do we grab God’s grace and uproot
bitterness? I think two steps are crucial. Every time you think
of the person who wronged you, or who wronged someone you love:
1) Pray for them; 2) Thank God for them. Bitterness can’t grow
in soil saturated with prayer and thanksgiving.

September 19, 2005: Why Katrina?
It’s
impossible in the wake of one the greatest natural disaster to
hit the United States to avoid the question: Why did this
happen? Hundreds of thousands of people driven from homes which
are now nothing more than piles of splintered sticks. Billions
of dollars in losses. A city under water where hundreds if not
thousands of people lost their lives...
October 10, 2005: Why Katrina II?
As
I watched the evening news last week from my hotel room in
Plano, Texas, I saw miles of cars creeping out of Houston to
avoid the wrath of Hurricane Rita. The next day the hotel was
packed with evacuees who had made it to the Dallas’ suburb.
Katrina and Rita formed a one-two punch that ravaged the Gulf
coast. New Orleans stands as a ghost town...
October 24, 2005: Finding Success That
Matters
Brothers,
I urge you to join me in investing our lives into endeavors that
truly matter, into things that are of eternal consequence. The
crowns that the world bestows on us wither away all too quickly.
But long after the accolades are gone and the light fades on our
careers, we can wear a crown that lasts forever if we yield our
time, treasures and talents to God.
November 6, 2005: The Value of Secrets
It may surprise you to discover that there
is nothing you can do to endear yourself to others more than
opening up and being vulnerable. If you’ll build more windows
and fewer walls, you’ll have more shoulder to shoulder friends.
We all need at least one person to whom we can tell everything.
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