Brothers
The brothers of David were cool people. They’re the ones you know and trust to keep things moving in the church. They’re the ones most people turn to for leadership. The problem is that they’re often riding the wave of past victories. They worked up the ranks, worked through experiences, and now they’re staying the course.
We’ve all met that one person who is steady and rock solid in advice. They aren’t super adventurous. They know the rules. They know the protocols. They have answers. They make it through what most struggle with. Yet, you’re left wondering if there is more they could do. It’s like they’ve settled for what is.
I remember conversations with singles who wanted to know what’s life like on the other side of marriage. One person in the group said that once you tie the knot, you’re in for the long haul. You just want to survive. This was a person who was always at all the church’s social events. They were the leading voice of change and improvement as well as reason and caution. Then, they got married. They settled. They calmed down. They just are. You can still rely on their deep knowledge and experience, but the spark is gone. The dates are over. The hanging out is past. They’re just there.
The brothers did what they were supposed to do, they kept Israel safe. They knew from past experience that if they fought wholesale the Philistines, it would be a bloodbath. The carnage extensive. They also knew that a one on one fight was pointless. There was no way to reconcile the experience differential and the size gap. So they did diplomacy and stall tactics to keep the people safe. And it worked for a while too.
People were safe but living a limited life of fear and anxiety. The peace deal was only going to last but so long. The kicking the proverbial can down the street was not solving the issue. Just like avoiding long in-depth conversations with your mate will not solve the growing staleness of life at home. Eventually, you have to face the facts and do something with or about them.
