Hello Friends,
It’s the end of another beautiful month! For me,
October has been a month of good news; good news pertaining to me, pleasant news from friends and from colleagues. Yet, in the news both nationally and internationally;
it’s been a period of much chaos and alarming reports all around the world. The media constantly inundates us with depressing stories!We find out
that bad news actually trend the more. Have you ever wondered why? Yes there would be bad news from time to time
but in our place as God’s ambassadors, we should bring a message of comfort to
a hurting world.
Talking about news, how we relate news and events
to people, and the carrier of news; in my usual way of biblical character
study, the story of an interesting man came to mind as I prepared for work this
morning. (By now you should know I love to write on bible characters!)
Remember Saul in the bible? The very first king of Israel that God chose for His people when they demanded for a king. Well,
he had his ups and down and fell out of favor with God and so at some point,
God raised a king from the back side of the desert- David; a man after His own heart.
David went through much in the hands of Saul but still maintained his loyalty
and respect despite the fact that Saul sought to kill him at many times. David
had the opportunity of retaliating, but he never lifted his finger against him.
So there was this fierce battle against
Israel which led to Saul’s death. During the battle, he was fatally wounded and
he asked his armor bearer to kill him but he refused so he fell on the sword
himself and died. (The battle became fierce against Saul.
The archers hit him, and he was severely wounded by the archers.4Then Saul said
to his armorbearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these
uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and abuse me.” But his armorbearer would
not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell on it. 1st
Samuel 31:3-4)
What a gruesome ending for a man who started
well; chosen by God for such a great assignment of leading the Israelites. It
was indeed a sad day for the nation of Israel; their No 1 man had just died;
with three of his sons, his armor bearer and all his men! The whole nation was mourning,
but someone, somewhere thought he could get credit and gain the respect of
David whose arch enemy had just died.
Let’s
look at the scripture. Quite a long one but we can pick a few things from it.
2nd Samuel
1: 1Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David had
returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had stayed two
days in Ziklag, 2on the third day, behold, it happened that a man
came from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head. So it
was, when he came to David, that he fell to the ground and prostrated
himself. 3And David said to him, “Where have you come from?” So he said to him,
“I have escaped from the camp of Israel.”
4Then David said to him, “How did the matter go? Please tell
me.”
And he answered, “The people have fled from the battle, many of the
people are fallen and dead, and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also.”
5. So David said to the young man who told him, “How do you know
that Saul and Jonathan his son are dead?”
6Then the young man who told him said, “As I happened by chance to be on Mount Gilboa, there was Saul, leaning on
his spear; and indeed the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. 7Now
when he looked behind him, he saw me and called to me. And I answered, ‘Here I
am.’ 8And he said to me, ‘Who are you?’
So I answered him, ‘I am an
Amalekite.’ 9He said to me again, ‘Please stand over me and kill me, for
anguish has come upon me, but my life still remains in me.’ 10So I stood over him and killed
him, because I was sure that he could not live after he had fallen. And I took
the crown that was on
his head and the bracelet that was on
his arm, and have brought them here to my lord.”
Of course the young man heaped up lies upon
lies. He probably saw Saul dead at the battlefield, saw his crown and all and
quickly thought of how he could become a national hero and get recognition from
David who was the King elect! He was a bearer of bad news; and a master fabricator
for that matter. What could he have gotten from it anyway; to have put up such
a fake and wicked story? Of course David
ordered that he be killed and that was the end of his life.
·
Bad news
bearer, oftentimes add to stories to make it interesting.
·
They
distort the real thing to make it sound “sweeter” to the ears
·
Most
times, they look out for what to gain from it
·
Their
feet are always ugly.
The bible tells us in Isaiah 52: 7:
How beautiful upon the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who proclaims peace,
Who brings glad tidings of good things,
Who proclaims salvation,
Who says to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”
Before you begin to spread that news,
make sure it brings solace and comfort as well. Make sure in the midst of the
chaos and devastation, there is still hope to those you are relaying your
message to!
Even
Jesus declared His main mandate on earth as that of preaching of GOOD news.
Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour yet? If you don’t, then say the prayers Here.
The Pen....
