2 Samuel 2:15-19: a reflection

15Then they arose and went over by number: twelve for Benjamin and for Ishbosheth the son of Saul, and twelve of David’s servants. 16They each caught his opponent by the head and thrust his sword in his fellow’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place in Gibeon was called Helkath Hazzurim. 17The battle was very severe that day; and Abner was beaten, and the men of Israel, before David’s servants. 18The three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Asahel was as light of foot as a wild gazelle. 19Asahel pursued Abner. He didn’t turn to the right hand or to the left from following Abner.

In the account of a deadly battle at Gibeon, one detail is noted about Asahel, one of David's men: he was as swift of foot as a wild gazelle, and he set himself to pursue Abner, the enemy commander, single-mindedly, turning neither to the right nor to the left. His pursuit was relentless, focused entirely on catching Abner, unwilling to be turned aside. And, as the story goes on to show, this relentless, unturning pursuit, against wise warning, would cost Asahel his life.

Notice Asahel's relentless, single-minded pursuit: he would not turn aside from following Abner, right or left. His swiftness and determination were real gifts; but his refusal to turn aside, even when wisdom would counsel it, proved fatal. He pursued so single-mindedly, so unwilling to relent, that he ran past the point of wisdom and into destruction. His zeal, unchecked by discretion, unwilling to turn aside even when it should, led to his death.

That is a caution about the danger of a relentless pursuit that will not turn aside even when it should. Determination and single-mindedness are gifts; but a pursuit that refuses to relent, that will not turn aside even when wisdom counsels it, can carry us past the point of good sense and into harm. There are times when the wise course is to turn aside, to let go of a pursuit, to relent; and to press on relentlessly, unwilling to turn, can be destructive. Do not let your determination become a relentless pursuit that will not turn aside even when it should. When wisdom counsels you to relent, to turn aside from a pursuit, do not press on single-mindedly like Asahel, unwilling to turn; be willing to let go, to turn aside, when that is the wiser course. Zeal needs the check of discretion; do not pursue so relentlessly that you run past wisdom into harm, as Asahel pursued Abner to his own destruction. Know when to turn aside, and let wisdom, not mere single-mindedness, guide your pursuits.

Lord, in the account of a deadly battle, Asahel, swift as a gazelle, set himself to pursue the enemy commander single-mindedly, turning neither right nor left; and his relentless, unturning pursuit, against wise warning, would cost him his life. Caution me by that about the danger of a relentless pursuit that will not turn aside even when it should. Determination and single-mindedness are gifts; but a pursuit that refuses to relent, that will not turn aside even when wisdom counsels it, can carry me past the point of good sense and into harm. There are times when the wise course is to turn aside, to let go of a pursuit, to relent; and to press on relentlessly, unwilling to turn, can be destructive. Keep my determination from becoming a relentless pursuit that will not turn aside even when it should. When wisdom counsels me to relent, to turn aside from a pursuit, keep me from pressing on single-mindedly like Asahel, unwilling to turn; help me be willing to let go, to turn aside, when that is the wiser course. Zeal needs the check of discretion; keep me from pursuing so relentlessly that I run past wisdom into harm, Lord. Help me know when to turn aside, and let wisdom guide my pursuits.