When we read stories from a children’s Bible, we hear tales of heroes and warriors who teach a clear morality lesson. We know who the good guys are and who the bad guys are. their questionable moral choices and sins are sanitized out.
Perhaps that is what makes the full version of the Bible so intimidating when we first read it. We puzzle over the question: How can so many heroes be so messed up?
What fascinates me about the men who surrounded King David is how complex their characters are, and how much they resemble the people we encounter in every day life, including ourselves. It would be simpler if we could categorize them into good guys and bad guys. But then we would miss out on the full benefit of these stories: the opportunity for identification.
Dr. John Townsend, in his book People Fuel, explains that when we identify with someone, we see that we are not alone and our experiences are normal. He writes:
“Normalization is the experience of realizing that you’re not some strange, mutated being who is set off from the rest of humanity because of a flaw. Rather you fit in with others. You may have your history and patterns, but being flawed doesn’t exclude you. When we feel normalized, our brains are able to settle into being connected and attached to others in community, and we think, feel, and behave better.”
From People Fuel by Dr. John Townsend
King David struggles with complex organizational dynamics like we do. He and the people who surrounded him wrestled with their own humanity and experienced the consequences of their decisions. Yet, amazingly, God chose to work through them in all of their imperfections. That should encourage us.
Is there a character in the Bible that you identify with? Have you experienced seeing parallels to your own struggles within the Biblical narrative? Have you ever recalled the story of one of the characters in a moment of decision and gotten greater clarity about your circumstances?
If so, I would love to hear your story. As we explore the lives of King David’s men together, my hope is that we would gain fresh perspective on our own situations and make better decisions as a result.