Scripture Reading - 2 Samuel 9:1-12
King David restores the identity of Mephibosheth as belonging to the family of God, gives him a place at the Kings table and restores dignity to him. Mephibosheth was seen as someone undeserving, and also viewed himself that way. In his culture, a King like David would never associate with someone like him, let alone show him such generous kindness.
This story from the book of 2nd Samuel teaches us about the power of kindness and generosity and what that looks like in the Kingdom of God.
We live in a world that tells us that we determine who we show kindness to, putting ourselves in the position of the king, when in the Kingdom of God, there is enough for all. Instead we are shown an example of the need to show kindness and generosity despite who they are, despite what our world would tell us they “deserve” – instead we function within the kingdom, where kindness and generosity are extended to who the world deems as undeserving. Because really at the end of the day we are all really the Mephibosheth of this story.
We all fall short of the king and we all, in some way or another, are undeserving. We all fall short of the king that left heaven to come to our dirt filled earth, born in squalor and dying a degrading death that he didn’t deserve, just so we could sit at his table. So we could sit in our lameness, in our brokenness, in our shame and still be called to his table as his sons and his daughters of the King.
This incredible kindness, it should lead us to the worship of Jesus – a gratefulness for all that he is and all that he has done for us. It should lead us to want to pour out like him – recognising that we will never match his generosity – but we can be compelled by it to be generous to others. Those that are our enemies, those that are not worthy, those that seek to hide, those that can never repay us, those that others would ignore. The Mephibosheth’s of the world.
Mephibosheth never earnt his place, he was never able to become what his society would have considered a “worthy participant” of a royal household but from that day on he ALWAYS ate at the kings table. What we see here is a reminder to us that we may never overcome our brokenness, we are always invited, we are always given a place at the Kings table.
And so too is it the same for those around us. Those that have hurt us may never change, they may never overcome their shortfalls, they may continue to disappoint you – but they continue to be the children of God and there is a place for them at his table.
It is the undeserved kindness of the King that compels us to show the same kindness to others. A Kingdom sort of kindness.
Discussion Questions1. Take a moment to sit and reflect on how God has been kind to you. When did you first experience his kindness? When did you recently experience his kindness?
2. Do you ever find yourself holding back from showing a generous kindness to others? Why or why not?
3. Who in your world is marginalised, in hiding or experiencing brokenness? How can you extend kindness to them this week?
4. What steps can you put in place to remember how kind God has been to you so that remember what a privilege it is to sit at his table?
5. Take a moment to pray; thanking God for this kindness, asking God to remind of those that we need to be kind to, and asking God to help us to never take his generous kindness for granted.
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