Look for God even in the insult!

It doesn't all go well for King David. His own son rebels against him, causing him to get out of town in a hurry. To add insult to injury, some nutter comes out to pelt David and his men with stones and curses (see 2 Samuel 16:5f).

Of course David has his bodyguard, who figure that a single blow with their sword will sort out this mouse-with-megaphone kind of opposition. Yet David will not let that happen. Curiously in v10 David figures that God might even be 'in' the cursing.

Now none of us like insults, and I'm sure it was most unpleasant for David. Yet we can learn from David's response: that somehow even in the insult, even in the unwarranted attack, God could possibly be at work.  Secondly David would rather quietly keep on his path and trust God for vindication (v12). David knows he cannot take anything for granted, but must rely on God at his every step.

So as leaders let us keep an ear open to what our opponents are saying. If we think we are on the right path, then let us humbly stick to it without feeling we must strike back, since if we are still in line with God's anointing we can trust that he will eventually vindicate our stance.

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By not striking back David left the way open for Shimei to repent: see 19:18f. The onlookers can't cope, but David can offer grace. His stance has won through, he is vindicated, relationships are restored.