1 Chronicles 11:42-47: a reflection

42Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite (a chief of the Reubenites), and thirty with him, 43Hanan the son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite, 44Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, 45Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, 46Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, 47Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

In this list of David's warriors, notice the variety of their origins. They come from many tribes and places, some from obscure towns, and among them are foreigners, a Moabite, and men from far-flung regions. David's company was not drawn from one place or one kind of person; it was gathered from many origins, near and far, familiar and obscure, even from beyond Israel. God gathered around David a company drawn from many and unlikely places, uniting them in a common cause.

Notice how varied the origins of David's men were. They were not all from the same tribe or town; they came from many places, some obscure, some foreign, gathered from far and wide. God did not draw David's company only from the expected places or people; he gathered them from many and unlikely origins, even from among the nations, uniting a diverse company in one cause. The gathering was wide, drawing in those from obscure and unexpected origins, not only the familiar and the near.

That is worth taking to heart, for God gathers his people, too, from many and unlikely origins. God's people are not drawn from one kind of place or person; he gathers them from every tribe and origin, from the obscure and the unexpected as well as the familiar, even from among those once far off. No origin is too obscure or too distant for God to gather someone from it into his people. Do not imagine that God's people are only those of a certain expected kind or origin; he gathers them from many and unlikely places, as David's company was drawn from far and wide, even from among the nations. And do not think your own origin, however obscure or unexpected, disqualifies you; God gathers his people from every origin, as he gathered David's warriors from many places and peoples. Rejoice that God gathers his people from many and unlikely origins, uniting the diverse in one cause, and know that no origin puts anyone beyond his gathering, as David's company was drawn from many tribes and places, near and far.

Lord, in this list of David's warriors, notice the variety of their origins. They come from many tribes and places, some from obscure towns, and among them are foreigners and men from far-flung regions. David's company was not drawn from one place or one kind of person; it was gathered from many origins, near and far, even from beyond Israel. You gathered around David a company drawn from many and unlikely places, uniting them in a common cause. Show me how varied the origins of David's men were. You did not draw his company only from the expected places or people; you gathered them from many and unlikely origins, even from among the nations. The gathering was wide, drawing in those from obscure and unexpected origins, not only the familiar. Take that to my heart, for you gather your people, too, from many and unlikely origins. Your people are not drawn from one kind of place or person; you gather them from every tribe and origin, even from among those once far off. No origin is too obscure or too distant for you to gather someone from it into your people. Keep me from imagining that your people are only those of a certain expected kind or origin; you gather them from many and unlikely places. And keep me from thinking my own origin, however obscure, disqualifies me; you gather your people from every origin, Lord. Help me rejoice that you gather your people from many and unlikely origins, and know that no origin puts anyone beyond your gathering.