Before any game is played; sides must be chosen.  Two teams are decided within any large group; then the game begins.  You know how it goes—from the Garden of Eden to now—we still choose up sides. Our first thought as a child, eager to play is, who will choose me? Whose side will we I be on? Will I be chosen first, second, or last? Choosing is awkward at times but knowing whose side you are on makes all the difference in how you will play the game, right?!

We all choose up sides!  We choose which side we will take when opposing views present themselves in conversation.  We will “side” with those who agree with our belief system concerning the topic at hand.

We choose up sides between good and evil with every decision we make and every action we take in our daily lives.  So, whose side are you on?  Choose this day whom you will serve, says Joshua to God’s people who were fearful of the enemy. (Joshua 24:15) So, it is extremely important to make the choice—God or the opposing Enemy of Darkness? It’s a matter of life or death. Who do we want to believe and follow?  Our behavior will certainly reveal what we truly believe—especially when put under the spotlight of pressure by those who want to know whose side we’re on. Who and what we decide affects the decision of others who look to us for truth. Wow.

David chose to be kind to the new king of the Ammonites (the opposing team) but his efforts are assumed to be evil.  Assumptions and presumptions are the greatest roadblocks to honest communication in building community even today!  We assume what others think therefore we presume how they will act toward us before the first word is spoken. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” with these habits that deter all relationships. These habits are not the way to peace with each other or with God.  Read on…

2 Samuel 10

David Defeats the Ammonites

In the course of time, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun succeeded him as king. ² David thought, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father.

When David’s men came to the land of the Ammonites, ³ the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Hasn’t David sent them to you only to explore the city and spy it out and overthrow it?” ⁴ So Hanun seized David’s envoys, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the buttocks, and sent them away.

⁵ When David was told about this, he sent messengers to meet the men, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back.”

⁶ When the Ammonites realized that they had become obnoxious to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth Rehob and Zobah, as well as the king of Maakah with a thousand men, and also twelve thousand men from Tob.

⁷ On hearing this, David sent Joab out with the entire army of fighting men. ⁸ The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance of their city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maakah were by themselves in the open country.

⁹ Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans. ¹⁰ He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother and deployed them against the Ammonites. ¹¹ Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to come to my rescue; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to rescue you. ¹² Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.”

¹³ Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him. ¹⁴ When the Ammonites realized that the Arameans were fleeing, they fled before Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab returned from fighting the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

¹⁵ After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they regrouped. ¹⁶ Hadadezer had Arameans brought from beyond the Euphrates River; they went to Helam, with Shobak the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.

¹⁷ When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan and went to Helam. The Arameans formed their battle lines to meet David and fought against him. ¹⁸ But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers. He also struck down Shobak the commander of their army, and he died there. ¹⁹ When all the kings who were vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with the Israelites and became subject to them.

So the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Once again (see chapter 9), David wanted to show kindness, but this time his attempt led to war instead of peace. His overtures to his neighbor were misunderstood, and David had to defend his own honor as well as the honor of the Lord and His people. David the warrior was also a man who understood the principle of peace.

Jesus taught about peace, both inner peace and peace between people. While his teachings sometimes involved conflict due to his message of truth, his core message emphasized love, forgiveness, and reconciliation, all essential components of peace. Listen to Jesus, trust and obey what HE says. Jesus is the only Way to reconcile with God, who is the Truth we seekand the One who gives all who believe eternal Life! (John 14:6)  Jesus knows peace because He is Peace.

Consider this wisdom: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6. Reading a Proverb a day is a great way to gain wisdom in “choosing sides.” Wisdom is simply defined as obtaining practical “skills for living”. Wisdom commands that we do not “follow our hearts!” Jesus taught us to follow the desires of the heart of God!  David was a man after the heart of God.  Assuming, presuming, while “following our own hearts” as we learn in this passage; does not lead to peace.  Jesus the Prince of Peace is the One who gives us the gift of His peace when we believe and follow Him.  Peace begins with knowing Jesus.

Biblical Principles of Peace: (Excerpts from author, Fred Bittner)

• Peace is a product of God’s design.  May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ — 1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NIV).
• Peace comes from knowing Jesus and is not linked to external circumstances.  “For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross — Colossians 1:19-20 (NIV).
• Peace is a vital part of our relationship with the Holy Spirit.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. — Galatians 5:22
• Peace is not ours to keep, but ours to share. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called Children of God”. —Jesus, Matthew 5:9 (NIV). The peace of God must be evident in us. Others need to see what we have and desire to have it. Then we must be peacemakers, able to share the love of God with a troubled world. Jesus calls us to be the Light in a dark world who needs the Savior!  (Matthew 5:14-16)
• Peace is demonstrated to the world through a healthy Church. “Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. — 2 Corinthians 13:11 (NIV).  Church fights hurt the cause of Christ. To that end the Bible says, “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification” — Romans 14:19 (NIV).
• Peace is not determined by possessions, or circumstances. The pursuit of peace is more important than the pursuit of possessions, money, or fame. Peace is not determined by where we live, or how much we own. “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you…I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. — Philippians 4:9,12-13 (NIV).
• God’s Peace is to be sought above all other possessions.

“Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.” Proverbs 17:1

“So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.” Romans 14:19

“Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14

• If you want to be blessed, become a peacemaker.  “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness — James 3:18 (NIV).

Peace is a gift from God that keeps on giving!  Peace is not obtained on our own. Our peace was bought at a price—Jesus, God’s One and Only Son.  Jesus is the peace we seek in every detail of life because He IS peace and He delivers His peace upon request. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”—Jesus, John 16:33

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”—Jesus, John 14:27 ESV

How will we respond?

One of my favorite authors, Dr. David Jeremiah writes in Sanctuary, “All too often we lose our peace in the midst of tragedy and the circumstances of life. When we do that, we have nothing to offer a watching world. If a neighbor comes to us distraught over tragedy and finds us just as undone, what testimony have we given about the peace of Christ, which He promised? It is the Christians in a community who should be able to offer a word of encouragement and comfort during difficult times. But we can only do that if we possess the peace of Christ-that peace which He purchased for us at the price of His own blood.” –David Jeremiah, “Sanctuary”

“If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” Romans 12:18  Peace begins and ends with knowing Jesus and believing in Him.

I’m choosing the side of Peace; how about you?

Lord,

Give us your wisdom and peace.  Help us to avoid the sins of assuming we know what others think and presuming what they will do.  Teach us your ways of truthful communication filled with unconditional love. Thank you for saving my soul and making me whole.  Guide me in all I think, say, and do today.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In Jesus Name, Amen