Who Is the Villain?

Nathan said to David, “You are the man!” 2 Samuel 12:7

After watching the most recent superhero movie, my son was irritated that the story made us sympathize with the villain. The identity of the villain was never in question to us – he was the one attempting to kill half the world – but from his perspective, he was the good guy. When explained from his point of view, his motives appeared noble and his cause almost made sense.

The lesson was, depending on our distorted view of reality, we can often talk ourselves into thinking we are right, even when it is obvious to everyone else that we are wrong.

This is where King David found himself in today’s story. He impregnated Bathsheba and murdered her husband, and then simply took Bathsheba as his wife. David seemed pleased.

Then Nathan the prophet showed up and told David the story of a rich man with many sheep and a poor man with only one. The poor man loved his lamb as a pet but when the rich man needed meat for an important meal, he butchered the poor man’s lamb. David was incensed at the cruelty of the rich man, “He deserves to die!”

Nathan then sprung the trap, “You are the man!” Up to this point, David refused to confront his own evil. When made to see himself in the story though, he was overcome with grief, “I have sinned . . .” It was only after he accepted his own villainy that he could repent and be restored to God.

Most of us have been here. We read the Bible, or perhaps this blog, and we point it at others. We identify destructive behavior so well when it is not in us. If though, we read and only see the villainy of those around us, we miss the point.

The point of this blog – and my relationship with God – is not about others, it is always about God and me. Daily, I must ask, How am I being destructive? What is holding me back from my relationship with you, God? Then, like David, when I see my sin, I must confess and repent so that I may live in the intimate communion with the father for which I was created.