The Peacemaker is another lens through which we read our Bibles and gain a better understanding of God’s word. With that in mind, Kristin illustrated the three sections of the Slippery Slope using incidents which occurred in the life of the Old Testament’s David. David had God’s blessing yet like us, he struggled to get peacemaking right.

Peacefaking occurs when people choose to run away from a conflict rather than face it head on and try to resolve it in a healthy manner, also known as an escape response. The example of David running from Saul after Saul threw a spear at him with the intent to kill is an extreme example (see 1 Samuel 19:9-10) and no one is advocating that you stand your ground if your life is in danger. However, since David chooses to go into hiding rather than seek help with Saul, his situation illustrates perfectly what happens when we avoid conflict. David left his family and friends to hide in caves not for a little while, but a long time, while Saul looked high and low for him. The conflict with Saul was always in the back of David’s mind since each day could be the day Saul found him and ended his life. This is certainly not peace.

Moving up the Slippery Slope from the left after peacefaking we encounter peacemaking. The moment in David’s life where he gets this peacemaking right is described beautifully in 1 Samuel 24. Still hiding in a cave, David hears that Saul and his men are nearby. David moves into the darkness to wait. Behold, Saul, who needs to relieve himself (yes, this is in the Bible, read it for yourself!) enters the exact cave where David is hiding and believing he is alone, does his stuff. While he is indisposed, David’s companions rally around him trying to convince him that the Lord has delivered Saul into his hands and that David should deliver a fatal blow. Rather, David cuts a small piece of Saul’s garment and follows him out of the cave to confront him:

9 He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’? 10This day you have seen with your own eyes how the LORD delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lift my hand against my master, because he is the LORD’s anointed.’ 11 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. Now understand and recognize that I am not guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. 12 May the LORD judge between you and me. And may the LORD avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. 13 As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you.

 14 “Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? 15May the LORD be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.” (NIV)

David did several things right here. First, had he killed Saul he would have eliminated any possibility of proving that he had never intended for harm to come to Saul. The conflict at hand stemmed from Saul’s jealousy and not any particular issue David had with Saul. David would have essentially become the man Saul feared had he resorted to murder. Using the cut piece of garment to prove that he intended no harm allowed David to defend himself in a more reasonable manner. David also acknowledged that Saul was anointed by God and that killing him would have been an affront to God. Being mindful of how God perceives us and our opponents is a very useful tool in conflict resolution. Finally, David recognizes that any revenge or justice that should be doled out in the situation has to come from the Lord. He places his faith in God’s ability to judge and sentence appropriately. If only we all could have such faith!

Moving down the other side of the Slippery Slope toward peacebreaking, or attack responses, however, we find that David was not always on top of his game. Like us, he could be tempted to slide away from healthy peacemaking. The best example we can think of here is the story of David, Bathsheba and poor Uriah the Hittite, told in 2 Samuel 11.  Most of us know it well: David had an affair with Bathsheba, getting her pregnant, while her husband Uriah was out fighting with David’s army. In order to cover his sin and attempt to avoid any conflict with Uriah, David has Uriah murdered and marries the widowed Bathsheba. We have to wonder here how the story would have played out if David had gone to Uriah, confessed his sin and perhaps negotiated a deal with Uriah that would have protected Bathsheba and allowed everyone to save face. However, David’s sin is made known through Nathan and Nathan rebukes David:

9 Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. 10 Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.’

 11 “This is what the LORD says: ‘Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. 12 You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.’ “

 13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
      Nathan replied, “The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die. 14But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, the son born to you will die.” (2 Sam. 12:9-14 NIV)

This example illustrates that murder, an extreme response to conflict, actually creates more conflict and consequences. David’s son might have lived had his father chosen a different response. Perhaps there would have been other consequences to David’s sin with Bathsheba but we have to presume they would have been less harsh given a perceived willingness to make things right and perhaps even to repent.

We’re praying for you as you continue this peacemaking journey. Please keep these three examples in mind as you address your own conflicts and learn more about God’s plan for you through the lens of The Peacemaker.

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