Rev. Don Campbell
1 Samuel 28-31; Psalm 18
THOUGHT FOR TODAY, April 19, 2019
“SOME GAVE ALL – ALL GAVE SOME”
After the resurrection, Jesus was giving the disciples last-minute instructions before his departure. He told Peter that he would be martyred (John 21:18-19). Peter asked, “Lord, what about this man?” meaning John. Jesus replied, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” (vv.21-22). We sometimes sing a hymn called “Follow Me,” in which Jesus speaks to us all:
Oh Jesus if I die upon a foreign field someday,
‘Twould be no more than love demands,
no less could I repay,
“No greater love hath mortal man
than for a friend to die”
These are the words He gently spoke to me,
“If just a cup of water I place within your hand
Then just a cup of water is all that I demand.
But if by death to living they can Thy glory see,
I’ll take my cross and follow close to Thee.
As I read Verses 21-25 of 1 Samuel 30, I thought of this hymn and this saying “Some gave all; all gave some,” referring military personnel who answered the call of duty, wherever it took them. The “Message,” which is a paraphrase gives this account: “Then David came to the two hundred who had been too tired to continue with him and had dropped out at the Brook Besor. They came out to welcome David and his band. As he came near he called out, ‘Success!’ But all the mean-spirited men who had marched with David, the rabble element, objected: ‘They didn’t help in the rescue, they don’t get any of the plunder we recovered. Each man can have his wife and children, but that’s it. Take them and go!’ ‘Families don’t do this sort of thing! Oh no, my brothers!’ said David as he broke up the argument. ‘You can’t act this way with what God gave us! God kept us safe. He handed over the raiders who attacked us. Who would ever listen to this kind of talk? The share of the one who stays with the gear is the share of the one who fights—equal shares. Share and share alike!’ From that day on, David made that the rule in Israel—and it still is.”
“Some gave all and all gave some” also tells the story of faithful soldiers of the cross. James gave his life as the first martyr. His brother John gave his life in service, dying a natural death, approach 100 years old. We know very little about some of the apostles, except their names. Millions of faithful Christians have died without ever being known beyond the sphere of their small circle of friends. Some gave all; all gave some.
David did not see those 200 men as shirkers, but as soldiers protecting the baggage (1 Samuel 30:24-25). When we give all the Lord asks us to give, we have given our all.
CONNECTIONS
1. Twice in the Gospel of Luke, the disciples argued about who would be the greatest in the kingdom (Luke 9:46; 22:24-26). What do you think Jesus meant when he said, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great” (Luke 9:48)?
2. How do Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 dovetail with David’s point?
