Charm and manipulation: Lessons from Absalom (2 Sam 15:1-12)
2 Sam 15:1-12 A Christian friend gave up a prestigious job and a sizable salary to take on an IT role in a Christian organisation for much less pay. He was motivated to be of service to Christians and only…
The challenge of forgiveness and reconciliation (2 Sam 14:21-33)
2 Sam 14:21-33 I once attended an academic conference on the question of forgiveness. Biblical scholars in Old and New Testament, as well as psychologists and counsellors all weighed in on what forgiveness means, why it matters, how it should…
Getting a changed perspective on life (2 Sam 14:1-20)
2 Sam 14:1-20 A former Christian colleague in banking had a highly paid job in Hungary, but she became increasingly uncomfortable about the pressure put on employees to squeeze as much profit out of clients as possible. Yet, every time…
The inevitable need not be inevitable (2 Sam 13:20-39)
2 Sam 13:20-39 A friend of mine told me that she suffered from a controlling mother and lived through a lot of conflict as she rebelled and fought against her mother’s attitude in her growing-up years. Yet, when she had…
What kind of seeds do we sow? (2 Sam 13:1-19)
2 Sam 13:1-19 A friend whose husband was regularly abusive to her escaped him and was supported by her son as she was trying to build a new life on her own. However, when her husband died suddenly, her son…
The surprising truth about God’s grace and forgiveness (2 Sam 12:15-31)
2 Sam 12:15-31 I don’t know if you have ever felt as a child that you had to be on your best behaviour after some major upset when you had done something wrong. Although the storm may have blown over,…
Forgiven but punished? How to make sense of David’s sin and its aftermath (2 Sam 12:10-15)
2 Sam 12:10-15 As a young Christian, I remember reading Nathan’s message from God, which describes a number of things that will happen in David’s life as a result of his sin and wondering how this fits in with the…
The real issue in David’s sin (2 Sam 12:1-10)
2 Sam 12:1-10 David’s downfall is one of the most well-known in the Old Testament, but familiarity may rob us of understanding his sin as Scripture explains it. While adultery and murder loom large in the story, this is only…
The whirlpool of sin and its effects (2 Sam 11:6-27)
2 Sam 11:6-27 When I hear of the spectacular downfall of prominent Christian leaders, I always wonder what was in their heart as they were sucked deeper and deeper into a whirlpool of sin. Were they riddled with guilt but…
Self-awareness and our feet of clay (2 Sam 11:1-5)
2 Sam 11:1-5 Some years ago, I looked up online one of my former professors in theology, curious if he had retired. He was painfully shy, the stereotype of an absent-minded academic who speaks dozens of dead languages but cannot…