Abigshag and Hume Lake Volleyball

Sam Talbert is our church’s resident Bible scholar and Pastor Emeritus. After retiring from the pastorate, he has continued to serve in a variety of roles, including on our elder board. Sam shared this devotional at an elder meeting recently, and I thought it was too good not to pass on.   

Throughout the Scriptures are passages that have caused me to scratch my head. One of these is II Kings 1. As you remember king David is old and near death and cannot generate enough body heat.  So, a young maiden named Abishag is hired to minister to him, even to share his bed to keep him warm.

As David nears death one of his sons, Adonijah, begins to seize his opportunity, collects his power brokers, Joab the warrior and Abiathar the priest, and proclaims himself king. Hearing this Solomon’s mom, Bathsheba, reminds David of his promise to promote Solomon. David acts and Solomon is crowned and seated on the throne. An embarrassed Adonijah quietly slinks off. 

Shortly David dies and Solomon takes over. Here is where it gets interesting. When things settle down a bit Adonijah asks Bathsheba to request from her son, Solomon, to give him Abishag to be his wife.  When she does, Solomon flies into a rage and has Adonijah executed. That seemed a little excessive to me. Somewhat like shooting a mosquito with a Howitzer! It is clear from Scripture that Abishag was a fine looking girl, but come on! You’d kill your brother over her? Was she that hot?

The more I pondered this event the truth began to make its way through my thick skull. The light came on after many seasons of youth camp at Hume Lake Christian Camp. Every summer Hume has a perpetual series of volleyball games that begins in June and continues almost non-stop until mid-September. On one of these courts staff, campers, and ringers line up to call “next game” and the winners take on the next challengers. My friend, John Sherman, put our name in and we faced a team on a three day winning streak. We’re doomed I thought! 

However, I have watched John work his magic before. The game began as expected and in no time we were down 13-6 in a game where 15 wins. Then things began to shift.  The intensity of the champs began to cool and their confidence moved into the “over” range. Maybe they felt sorry for us. Soon it was 13-8 then 13-10 and as momentum began to flow our way we rode it all the way to 13-15.

The lesson? Leave no life in your opponent. If you do he’ll rise up and bite you. I think Solomon, a pretty smart fellow, understood this. “If I give Adonijah Abishag, soon he’ll want more and he won’t be satisfied until he has it all. He’s got to go.”

So what does this mean to me? Just this. There is no sin, no matter how small, or insignificant that is OK to overlook. They will all kill you. Smash them all! Give no quarter! Show no mercy! We were a sad looking bunch of dorks, but they overlooked us and we snuck up and dethroned the jocks!