The fruit of unforgiveness
As I read this chapter, I can't help but wonder if Absalom's later rebellion would have been prevented if David had handled this crisis differently. After all, what causes a son to seek the destruction of his own father? Obviously, pride, greed and a lust for power are involved, but what is it that causes these desires to reach the level of control in a person's life that they sacrifice even the relationship with their own father? It's difficult to make this sacrifice when the relationship is close, and easy when there is no relationship. But should David have acted differently? It's clear from this story and others that David had a problem with forgiveness. It was easier for him to kill someone who brought him bad news than forgive them of their wrong. He didn't want to see Absalom face to face because he couldn't bring himself to forgive him. Though by the end of the chapter, he has partially forgiven Absalom, there was a window of several years where forgiveness was not evident. That lack of forgiveness planted the seeds that later led to disaster. It's a lesson for all of us as we can easily fall temptation to the same pride that ignores our own sinfulness and pushes us to pass judgment on those who sin against us. As James so eloquently reminds us, we have no business passing judgment on others when we ourselves can barely get through a day without sinning.
