David asked, "Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?" Ziba answered the King, "There is still a son of Jonathan, Mephibosheth; he is crippled in both feet." (II Samuel 9: 1, 3)
David is a complex figure, as are all great figures of history. He is a man of war, prone to overstep moral boundaries (Bathsheba), a less than ideal father (Absalom, his son), writer of poetry (Psalms) of such depth and beauty they inspire us still today.
We see some of his complexity on display in our text for today. Having fought a bitter civil war with the house of Saul, and having won, he now inquires if there are any of Saul's family left to whom he can show kindness. And there is: Jonathan's son: Mephibosheth, who is significant here in at least two ways:
1. He is the Grandson of his bitter enemy and rival, but also the son of his dearest and closest friend. David could have wiped out all of Saul's family, as so often happened then (and sadly now), but the kindness of God infused David with a similar kindness such that it set limits to his warlike behavior.
2. Mephibosheth had a disability - what a very important and significant worship service of Disability Awareness we had yesterday at Trinity! In that day, as well as in many parts of the world still today, having a disability was to be a social outcast - either intentionally (sadly too many people don't like people who are different from who they are) or unintentionally by such things as architecture and design of buildings, by unintended obstacles to inclusion. But kindness always has a beautiful affect, sometimes slowly, but always enduring.
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