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How far would your love for someone go? //Até onde iria o seu amor por alguém?


 




You see, I read the Bible. And if you want every day the Bible (Word of God) has something to tell you. Are you listening?

Today, I made a simple question. “What did God want to tell me?” I read the end of 1 Samuel when David got the news of Saul’s death.


You know the story. If you don’t, let me brief you quickly.


Saul was chosen by Samuel to be the first king of Israel. Great. All he had to do was to obey God. Guess what? He couldn’t. God told him to go to war against some nasty people and destroy them all. He couldn't and, even worse, blamed the people (his soldiers) who spared the best of the sheep (among other things) saying it was for sacrifices.


Because of that disobedience, God decided to give the reign to someone else. David. 

David was a simple guy, who was often forgotten by his family maybe because he spent too much time away from them taking care of the sheep. He was a shepherd.  Suddenly his life changed. He was a valiant little guy. He faced alone a giant who was defying the people of Israel, an arrogant giant. David went there and defeated the giant with a smooth stone on his forehead. David shouted he was going to defeat him in the name of the God of Israel. 


Saul, the king, requested David for his services. They got close. And David was growing famous among the people because he was a brave warrior. Saul let envy enter his heart and consumed him to a point of desiring to kill David, at any cost necessary. This thought ruined him. This envy and jealousy were blinding Saul. All he wanted was to see David dead. 


On the other hand, David couldn’t understand why Saul wanted him dead. David loved Saul and loved his family. David respected Saul so much for he was God’s anointed king. David couldn’t dream about harming Saul, or anyone related to him. Besides, David’s best friend was Saul’s son. How could he think such evil? 

Anyway, Saul hunted David for over 10 years. David fled Saul’s unjustifiable wrath for 10 years. David for 10 years lived in caves and hiding.  David in all those years, not even once badmouthed Saul. David mourned when Saul died in battle. A battle that David didn’t join. David had had some opportunities to take out Saul’s life, but because of his love, he didn’t. 


Can you imagine being persecuted by someone and never thinking about doing them any harm? I have never thought about this story like it was today. If you have this nasty, creepy, evil unfair, immoral with no ethics boss, and suddenly you had a chance to avenge all the bad things he has done to everyone ever, would you let it pass? 


David did. Now I am understanding better why Jesus had to be David’s relative. David did things that only if you really trust in God, you would be able to do it. Otherwise, there is no way anyone can do it. 


When Paul says, “I can do all things” through Christ which strengthened me (Philippians 4:13). Paul is referring to these kinds of things. Things that are not really humanly possible, only if you rely on God. People often read this verse for their own benefit and their own passions. Paul was referring to loving to such a length that only through God can be explained. David was able because he knew that God had a good plan. Saul had hardened his heart; he wasn’t willing to obey. His pride was too big to allow him to humble himself before God, knowing that God was the one who gave him the kingdom. It didn’t matter to Saul. It doesn’t matter to any prideful person. Their pride is their God. They are more likely to kill themselves than to kneel before anyone.

David endured Saul’s wrath with God by his side. David’s life is far from perfect. His family was a disaster. His love life… Oh ... let’s not. He had one friend and God. 


Reading David’s story, I realize that no matter what I’d rather be on good terms with God than with anyone else. If you compromise my relationship with God, you are not worthy of a relationship with me. This would be David’s motto.


It was not David’s love for Saul that was big, it was David’s gigantic love for God that helped him to love Saul despite all his craziness.


I see Jesus speaking “Therefore, love one another as I have loved you”.

Veja, eu leio a Bíblia. E se quiser todos os dias a Bíblia (Palavra de Deus) tem algo a te dizer. Você está ouvindo?

Hoje, fiz uma pergunta simples. “O que Deus queria me dizer?” Li o final de 1 Samuel quando Davi recebeu a notícia da morte de Saul.


Você conhece a história. Se não, deixe-me informá-lo rapidamente.


Saul foi escolhido por Samuel para ser o primeiro rei de Israel. Ótimo. Tudo o que ele tinha que fazer era obedecer a Deus. Adivinha? Ele não conseguiu. Deus disse a ele para ir à guerra contra algumas pessoas abomináveis e destruir todos eles. Ele não conseguiu e, pior ainda, culpou o povo (seus soldados) que poupou o melhor das ovelhas (entre outras coisas) dizendo que era para sacrifícios.


Por causa dessa desobediência, Deus decidiu dar o reinado a outra pessoa. Davi.

Davi era um cara simples, muitas vezes esquecido pela família talvez por passar muito tempo longe deles cuidando das ovelhas. Ele era um pastor. De repente, sua vida mudou. Ele era um garotinho valente. Enfrentou sozinho um gigante que desafiava o povo de Israel, um gigante arrogante. Davi foi até lá e derrotou o gigante com uma pedra lisa na testa. Davi gritou que iria derrotá-lo em nome do Deus de Israel.


Saul, o rei, solicitou a Davi seus serviços. Eles se tornaram próximos. E Davi estava ficando famoso entre o povo porque era um bravo guerreiro. Saul deixou a inveja entrar em seu coração e o consumiu a ponto de desejar matar Davi, custe o que custar. Esse pensamento o arruinou. Essa inveja e ciúme estavam cegando Saul. Tudo o que ele queria era ver David morto.


Por outro lado, Davi não conseguia entender por que Saul o queria morto. Davi amava Saul e amava sua família. Davi respeitava muito Saul porque ele era o rei ungido de Deus. Davi não poderia nem sonhar em ferir Saul ou qualquer pessoa relacionada a ele. Além disso, o melhor amigo de Davi era filho de Saul. Como ele poderia pensar tanto mal?

De qualquer forma, Saul caçou Davi por mais de 10 anos. Davi fugiu da ira injustificável de Saul por 10 anos. David por 10 anos viveu em cavernas e se escondendo. Davi em todos esses anos, nem uma vez falou mal de Saul. Davi chorou quando Saul morreu em batalha. Uma batalha da qual Davi não participou. Davi teve algumas oportunidades de tirar a vida de Saul, mas por causa de seu amor, ele não o fez.


Você pode imaginar ser perseguido por alguém e nunca pensar em lhe fazer mal? Nunca pensei nessa história como se fosse hoje. Se você tem esse chefe desagradável, assustador, maligno, injusto, imoral e sem ética, e de repente você tem a chance de vingar todas as coisas ruins que ele fez a todos, você deixaria passar?


Davi deixou. Agora estou entendendo melhor porque Jesus tinha que ser parente de Davi. Davi fez coisas que somente se você realmente confiar em Deus você seria capaz de fazer. Caso contrário, não há como alguém fazer isso.


Quando Paulo diz: “Posso todas as coisas” por meio de Cristo que me fortalece (Filipenses 4:13). Paulo está se referindo a esses tipos de coisas. Coisas que não são realmente humanamente possíveis, apenas se você confiar em Deus. As pessoas costumam ler esse versículo para seu próprio benefício e suas próprias paixões. Paulo estava se referindo a amar tanto que somente por meio de Deus pode ser explicado. Davi foi capaz porque sabia que Deus tinha um bom plano. Saul endureceu seu coração, ele não estava disposto a obedecer. Seu orgulho era grande demais para permitir que ele se humilhasse diante de Deus, mesmo sabendo que foi Deus quem lhe deu o reino. Isso não importava para Saul. Não importa para qualquer pessoa orgulhosa. O orgulho deles é o deus deles. Eles são mais propensos a se matar do que se ajoelhar diante de alguém.

Davi suportou a ira de Saul com Deus ao seu lado. A vida de David está longe de ser perfeita. Sua família era um desastre. Sua vida amorosa ... Oh ... não vamos nem falar. Ele tinha um amigo e Deus.


Lendo a história de David, percebo que não importa o que aconteça, prefiro estar bem com Deus a com qualquer outra pessoa. Se você comprometer meu relacionamento com Deus, você não é digno de um relacionamento comigo. Este seria o lema de Davi.


Não foi o amor de Davi por Saul que foi grande, foi o gigantesco amor de Davi por Deus que o ajudou a amar Saul apesar de toda a sua loucura.


Vejo Jesus falando “Portanto, amai-vos uns aos outros como eu vos amei”.


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