1 Samuel 26:17-25: a reflection

17Saul recognized David’s voice, and said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” David said, “It is my voice, my lord, O king.” 18He said, “Why does my lord pursue his servant? For what have I done? What evil is in my hand? 19Now therefore, please let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is so that the LORD has stirred you up against me, let him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, they are cursed before the LORD; for they have driven me out today that I shouldn’t cling to the LORD’s inheritance, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods!’ 20Now therefore, don’t let my blood fall to the earth away from the presence of the LORD; for the king of Israel has come out to seek a flea, as when one hunts a partridge in the mountains.” 21Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Return, my son David; for I will no more do you harm, because my life was precious in your eyes today. Behold, I have played the fool, and have erred exceedingly.” 22David answered, “Behold the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and get it. 23The LORD will give to every man his righteousness and his faithfulness; because the LORD delivered you into my hand today, and I wouldn’t stretch out my hand against the LORD’s anointed. 24Behold, as your life was respected today in my eyes, so let my life be respected in the LORD’s eyes, and let him deliver me out of all oppression.” 25Then Saul said to David, “You are blessed, my son David. You will both do mightily, and will surely prevail.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place.

For the second time, David has Saul, who is hunting his life, at his mercy; and for the second time, he refuses to harm the LORD's anointed. Having spared Saul once before in the cave, David spares him again, taking only his spear as proof, and declaring that he would not stretch out his hand against the LORD's anointed. His integrity was not a one-time thing, a single good decision that might not hold the next time; when the same temptation and opportunity came again, David did right again. His refusal to harm Saul was consistent, holding the second time as it had the first; he did right not once but repeatedly, when the temptation recurred.

Notice that David did right again when the same temptation recurred. He had spared Saul once; but the sparing was tested again when Saul once more fell into his hands. It would have been easy to reason that he had shown restraint once and now might act; but David's integrity held the second time as the first. When the same temptation and opportunity returned, he did right again, consistently, not letting the recurrence wear down his resolve. His integrity was not a single decision but a consistent pattern, holding each time the temptation came. Doing right once did not exhaust his integrity; he did right again, when it would have been easy to yield the second time.

That is worth taking to heart, for integrity means doing right consistently, even when the same temptation recurs. We can do right once and then, when the same temptation comes again, feel we have already proved ourselves and may now yield; but David spared Saul a second time, his integrity holding when the temptation recurred. Integrity is not a single good decision but a consistent doing of right, again and again as the temptation returns. Do not let doing right once become an excuse to yield the next time; do right again when the same temptation recurs, as David spared Saul a second time. Do right consistently, again and again as the same temptation recurs, not letting a past good decision become an excuse to yield, as David spared Saul a second time as he had the first; for integrity is not a single decision but a consistent pattern of doing right, holding each time the temptation returns rather than wearing down with repetition.

Lord, for the second time, David has Saul, who is hunting his life, at his mercy; and for the second time, he refuses to harm the LORD's anointed. Having spared Saul once before in the cave, David spares him again, taking only his spear as proof, and declaring that he would not stretch out his hand against your anointed. His integrity was not a one-time thing, a single good decision that might not hold the next time; when the same temptation and opportunity came again, David did right again. Show me that David did right again when the same temptation recurred. He had spared Saul once; but the sparing was tested again when Saul once more fell into his hands. It would have been easy to reason that he had shown restraint once and now might act; but David's integrity held the second time as the first. When the same temptation and opportunity returned, he did right again, consistently. His integrity was not a single decision but a consistent pattern. Doing right once did not exhaust his integrity. Take that to my heart, for integrity means doing right consistently, even when the same temptation recurs. I can do right once and then, when the same temptation comes again, feel I have already proved myself and may now yield; but David spared Saul a second time, his integrity holding when the temptation recurred. Integrity is not a single good decision but a consistent doing of right. Keep me from letting doing right once become an excuse to yield the next time; help me do right again when the same temptation recurs, Lord, as David spared Saul a second time as he had the first.