A Matter Of Perspective

When David had finished speaking, Saul called back, “Is that really you, my son David?” Then he began to cry. [1 Samuel 24.16] 

Up until this event, most of the time Saul referred to David, he addressed him as the "son of Jesse." In this instance, however, Saul called him "David." What changed?

The "son of Jesse" was a political identifier of lineage. Jesse was from Bethlehem of the tribe of Judah whose father Abraham declared the following about:

“Judah, your brothers will praise you. You will grasp your enemies by the neck. All your relatives will bow before you. Judah, my son, is a young lion that has finished eating its prey. Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor. He ties his foal to a grapevine, the colt of his donkey to a choice vine. He washes his clothes in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. [Genesis 49.8-11]

It was no secret that the tribe of Judah would produce kings. Saul, the king of Israel - not from the tribe of Judah but from the tribe of Benjamin, knew this all too well. In fact, this underlying knowledge of his political disadvantage drove Saul to effective madness in his actions toward David. In spite of the relationship Saul had with David, Saul battled his thoughts - that tormenting spirit that reminded Saul constantly that his family would not retain the throne of Israel.

However, in this particular moment of mercy when David could easily have killed Saul, Saul realized that "David," non the "son of Jesse" was indeed his friend. It was all a matter of perspective.

Father, help me to view people around me from the perspective of relationship, not politics. In other words, help me see people as "fellow humans" for whom You sent Your Son Jesus to redeem and not as "the world" to be overcome. So be it.