Straight on.

I am attending a workshop on breaking addictions
It is called Conquer and goes for the next 5 weeks.

An integral part of the strategy to live without addiction
is to develop Community
....so that I don't Battle alone
but with brothers.
So I have a place to 'Process the Battle'
outside of my own brain....
To do this with another person creates a dynamic
That allows me to be successful....

David was a wise man and a wise king.....
but he still only had one perspective....
His own.
- he missed things that others saw.
- sometimes that didn't matter.
........Sometimes it did.
Really did.

After his son Absalom tried a military coup
and was killed in battle
David mourned publicly for his son.
understandable....
BUT
there was another perspective....

2Sam 19 tells the story....
1 It was told Joab, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.”
2 So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people,
for the people heard that day, “The king is grieving for his son.”
3 And the people stole into the city that day
as people steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle.

4 The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice,
“O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

5 Then Joab came into the house to the king and said,
“You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants,
who have this day saved your life
and the lives of your sons
and your daughters
and the lives of your wives and your concubines,
6 because you love those who hate you
and hate those who love you.

For you have made it clear today
that commanders and servants are nothing to you,
for today I know that if Absalom were alive
and all of us were dead today,
then you would be pleased.

7 Now therefore arise,
go out and speak kindly to your servants,
for I swear by the LORD,
if you do not go,
not a man will stay with you this night,
and this will be worse for you
than all the evil that has come upon you from your youth until now.”

8 Then the king arose
and took his seat in the gate.
And the people were all told,
“Behold, the king is sitting in the gate.”
And all the people came before the king.

Joab spoke to David,
not as a servant to his King,
but man to man
and David didn't rebuke him as a King could have
but David
listened
and accepted

that in that Moment
David understood
and accepted
that Joab was his advocate
a friend
Listen up!
he was giving incredibly important information
that could even save his and the lives of those he loved...

Man to Man.
Straight on.

So....
Do I have a team that can speak to me that way?
Do I have brothers that could or would
'jump' the social norms
and speak into my life?
How would that go for them?

AND
Could I, Would I
be a Joab to someone in my life?

Lord,
You call me to walk in Community.
With other Brothers and Sisters
You call me to listen
and at times,
speak.

I choose to do that
today.
to be in community
to not be proud I can do it on my own....
and You will guide me
by Your Holy Spirit
and Your People....

Yes.
Thank You Lord.

PJ