​My son, who is of my own flesh, is trying to take my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. It may be that the Lord will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today.  – 2 Samuel 16:11-12
 
David was certainly a rare breed. His son, Absalom, had worked a coup and had taken the throne, now he is being cursed by one of his subjects, yet he did not respond and granted grace. It is hard to believe that this is the same man who slew Goliath and led many campaigns against the Philistines, but now, he runs from his own son.

Most men would have quickly put down the rebellion, and would certainly have executed a man who would come at him throwing rocks and cursing him, but David was not most men. Rather than respond with pride and seeking vindication for his ego, he granted grace. He was truly a meek man.
What was David’s hope in this? “May be that the Lord will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today.” David knew that when he was following the Lord, though the circumstances would appear otherwise, God will repay faithfulness.

When we are trying to do God’s work our way it is very difficult to take the humble path. All too often we interpret our ambition as God’s purpose and allow our ego to drive us rather than to surrender to God and wait for his timing. David knew the value of allowing God to fight his battles and he was not going to fight his own son for the kingdom.

How often have we, in matters of much less consequence, insisted upon our rights only in the end to discover that the outcome would have been better if we had allowed God to take care of the issue in his own way and in his time?

David is a model for us to follow. The way we respond to being unfairly assailed with false accusations, will demonstrate what we are on the inside.
 
Prayer: Lord, I don’t think I could be as gracious as David was. I need your help to respond to unfairness with love and grace. In Jesus name, amen.

Message: All too often we interpret our ambition as God’s purpose and allow our ego to drive us rather than to surrender to God and wait for his timing.
  
Affirmation: I refuse to allow my ambition and ego to guide me when others attack me. Rather I will surrender to God and wait for his timing.
  
Reflection: David learned to wait on God when Samuel anointed him king while Saul still sat on the throne. David refused to take the throne by force, even when God had promised it to him. Give some thought to how you might apply that principle to your own life circumstances.

If you like this devotion you can get a full month of devotions on Gentleness just by filling in the form below with your name and email address then click "Yes-Send It" button and you will have immediate access to this devotional and several others as well.

He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant. – Psalm 25:9-10
 
Why would one want to know the way of the Lord? It seems that his way is always in conflict with my way and it seems such bondage to be trying to be something I’m not just to impress the one who is trying to suppress me. Has that argument ever come up in your thought processes? If it has you are just a normal human being.

So, why would someone want to know the way of the Lord? Because his ways are better than our ways; his ways lead to peace and life – our ways lead to chaos and death. What seems like a path to freedom to us is all too often the road to bondage and despair, but his way always leads to peace.

There are some interesting concepts introduced in this short passage. The first is that when we humbly commit ourselves to follow him he will guide us into righteousness. The second is that the ways of the Lord reflect his love for us and reveal his truth. The third is that our faithfulness to his ways opens the door of God’s blessing and grace for us.

The humble, or meek (KJV) person is one who has learned the lesson that going our way does not bring the fulfillment we are trying to find. A song of a few years ago spoke about “looking for love in all the wrong places.” It is also true that we are all too often looking for peace and satisfaction in life in all the wrong places.

 The one who realizes God’s ways will give him the peace and security he seeks, and who will humbly seek God’s ways, will be led by God into the paths of righteousness. It is following the path, or the way, that God leads that will release the blessings of heaven upon us.

Do you seek your way or God’s way? You get to choose – and you are responsible for the outcome. Think about it.
 
Prayer: Lord, grant me the humility to seek your will, the wisdom to recognize it when I see it, and the strength to follow where you guide. In Jesus name, amen.
  
Message:  The one who realizes God’s ways will give him the peace and security he seeks, and who will humbly seek God’s ways, will be led by God into the paths of righteousness.
  
Affirmation: I have realized that my ways lead me away from God, therefore I have chosen to humbly seek his way and he gives the me peace and security I seek.
  
Reflection: Have you ever given thought to why we tend to seek our own way when God promises blessing and prosperity when we follow his way? Our devotion mentions three concepts presented in our Scripture passage. Reflect on them.

If you liked this devotion you may want to have an entire month of devotions on the subject of Gentleness. To get your complimentary copy of the Daily God Walk Virtues Series devotional on Gentleness just fill in the form below with your name and email address, then click the "Yes Send It" button:
​

 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
– Mat 11:29 
 
In days past, before mechanized farm machinery, animals were used to pull the plow. Small farms had just one mule, or ox to pull a plow, but in larger farms they would use a team to pull a larger plow.

When the farmer had a young animal to train he would put him in the yoke with an older, more mature animal. The young animal was easily distracted and would want to run after whatever caught his attention, but being yoked to the older, more settled animal kept the younger in check.
The younger animal didn’t pull much weight at first, but that was OK because the lead animal knew how to pull a load and worked steadily. He wouldn’t pull too hard or move to fast, he just kept up a steady pull. The younger animal would pull against the yoke trying to veer off the course, but the old animal held the course. The ambitious young animal would try to go to fast, but the older animal held him back and stayed the course.

In this passage Jesus was saying, “Get connected to me. I’ll pull the load and I’ll train you to serve in the yoke.” Jesus is the author of our faith and he will perfect our faith (Hebrews 12:2), but we must stay connected to him. When we are connected to him he keeps us going the right direction. We won’t be wandering off because we are harnessed in the yoke with him. We won’t be taken over by zeal and run far ahead of where we should be because we are harnessed to the one who both started and who will finish.

The most difficult times in my life have been when I decided to step outside the yoke of Christ and try things my way. Every time I have done that I’ve found that it would have been much easier if I had stayed in the yoke and did it his way. His way may not be the quickest, but it is the surest.
 
Prayer: OK Lord, I know that it isn’t easy being yoked to me – I pull and strain to do it my way. Grant me the grace of surrender to your guidance. Amen.
 
Message: When we are properly connected with Jesus in his yoke he helps us stay the course. He keeps us from wandering and he keeps us from tiring too quickly.
 
 Affirmation: Being yoked to Christ is a joy. He keeps me on the path of righteousness and he helps me to live a consistent life.
 
 Reflection: Picture yourself connected to Christ in such a way that whenever you become distracted he stays the course and when you enthusiastically try to outpace him he keeps you in check. Reflect on what that means to you personally.