READ: 1 Samuel 17: 16-51
David shouted in reply, “You come to me with sword, spear and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord Almighty—the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.” (V. 45)
The Officers and Sheriff’s Deputies entered the apartment in response to a call for a violent domestic dispute. In just a few minutes, the call which concerned child custody, went from bad to worse. The father suddenly grabbed the child, the source of the custody battle, and fed into a rear bedroom. One of the Deputies tried keep the bedroom door from closing to try and rescue the child. His effort failed and the father, teeming with anger and rage informed those outside the door that he intended to kill the child and himself. In an attempt to buy time and ease the tension, the Officers and Deputies slowly exited the apartment. They took the distraught mother and her relatives while notifying communications of the need for the Hostage Negotiation and Tactical Rescue Team.
The Officers and Deputies tried to maintain communication with the father while waiting for the arrival of the specialized units. Just as the units began to arrive the shots rang out from the bedroom. The father had killed himself and the child. Needless to say, the responding law enforcement personnel were distraught at the outcome. Anger that turned to rage produced irrational behavior that led to an act of violence that left a devastating impact on the lives of all those involved.
In a short period of time after the event, the inevitable critical analysis of the event was initiated by news reporters and their so called “experts.” Right from the get-go they held the officers and deputies responsible for the deaths. The reality was that that the emotionally unstable father was in control of the situation and chose the ending, not the involved officers and deputies. Their misplaced and sadly defective analysis did nothing to lessen the emotional sting felt by the those who had done their God-given best to secure a peaceful and lifesaving solution to this event. Ironically, following my defense of the officers and deputies in a letter to the editor of a national newspaper, I was not selected to be the Chief of Police in a neighboring jurisdiction who had recruited me for the position.
Young future King David faced mountains of criticism and ridicule when he inquired as to why Goliath was allowed to stop God’s armies. Steadfast in faith, well beyond anything that people in the army of King Saul could muster, propelled David forward. Criticism and cynicism were not going to stop him from doing the right thing. Skeptics and fault finders were rendered mute the minute the giant died at David’s hand in the Valley of Elah. A lesson from God on critical analysis—I think so!
PAUSE FOR REFLECTION AND PRAYER
What does critical analysis look like in your life?
Lord, teach me how to use criticism responsibly and in accordance with Your will to the benefit not the detriment of others.