2 Samuel 23:9-10- Getting on With the Work
Eleazar is a pretty obscure Bible character. And yet God noticed and highlighted what he did. Some commentators think that what verses 9 and 10 are describing are the aftermath of David killing Goliath. The picture would be that the rest of the troops in his contingent gave up pursuing the Philistines. They left him pursuing them alone. But he kept going until his hand clung to his sword. Charles Spurgeon, who has a great sermon on Eleazar, says: ‘He was a man of marked individuality of character, a man who knew himself and knew his God, and did not care…to run away merely because they ran’. ‘Everyone else is doing it’ wasn’t an argument with him. ‘Everyone else is running away’ So what?! ‘No-one else is taking their responsibilities seriously’ So what? God may have given us 10 talents. Or he may have given us 1 talent. But either way, on the day of judgement we will be called to answer for what we did with what God gave us, not to answer for what others did. Too many Christians spend all their time complaining about what other people are doing with their talents, rather than using their own. Eleazar just gets on with it.
Serving on your own or with very little help, brings its own temptations. As well as the temptation to discouragement, there’s also the temptation to spend a lot of time blaming others for not playing their part. Perhaps we face the temptation to be despondent about the state of the church, whether the church in general, or our own church. But again, our responsibility is for ourselves. Our calling is to be faithful in the place God has put us, and in the role he’s given us. Sometimes we perhaps need to remind ourselves that our responsibilities are not reduced by the laxness of others. There can be the feeling: ‘Well if people around me aren’t serving God wholeheartedly, there’s no point in me doing it’. But surely the failures of others should lead us to strive harder, not to slacken off. Again, I find it hard to improve on Spurgeon: ‘Are your fellow-Christians worldly? You should yourself become more spiritual and heavenly-minded. Are they sleepy? Be you the more awake. Are they lax? Be you the more strict. Are they unkind? Be you the more full of love. Set your watch all the more strictly because you see that others are overcome, and be you doubly diligent where you perceive that others are negligent. Dare, like Eleazar, to stand alone, and from the shortcomings of others gather motives for a nobler life.’
Question
- What should we focus on if those around us are neglecting their responsibilities?
Prayer Points
- Pray that we would be faithful in the responsibilities God gives us.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.