The little things can really get you

David won't touch him.  The guy wants to kill him, but David has so much respect and honor for God putting this guy in authority, that he won’t do anything to influence changing things.  Even when the guy’s life is handed to him and his friends tell him (basically) these circumstances prove it’s God’s will! he won’t make a move.  And the fellow has been harassing David for years, for nothing.  Later, David executes a guy who does take things into his own hands the way David wouldn’t.  What strength and consistency in living according to your convictions, even at great cost to yourself.  Incredible.  What a man.

Then in a second he’s ready to go into a rage and kill Nabal, for a one-time rude snub.  Won’t help us with a little food and supplies?  You die!  Wow.  Ever put up with something from someone for so long, and one day you lash out at someone else who doesn’t have anything to do with it?  That’s this.  Venting pressure.  So real life, so typical.  You meet the big challenge, then something smaller sneaks up on you and gets you.  Elijah stands up to 400 opposing prophets and a crowd…then runs from one woman.  Peter is ready to take on a few hundred soldiers with one knife…then can't give a straight answer to a little servant girl.  Sometimes the most dangerous time is right after a big victory or a time when you really had to be dependent on God.  Maybe that’s why Jesus' example (and Israel's in the desert) was give us THIS day our daily bread.  God’s strength and presence and grace isn’t stored-up, like a battery, for use later.  He makes us be dependent constantly.

"Hence it is the saint who is the object of the greatest favor who needs to be on his guard, that he allow not his eye to rest on himself where the favors are sent, but on God from whom they come. If his eye turns to himself because of the favor, then the favor has been the means of turning his heart from God to a mere gift of His."  (Hungry Heart #6–16)