The troubled relationship of Saul and David continues today. As each pursue the other.
But then a remarkable thing happens, as David has Saul in his grasp (literally) and has the opportunity to kill him. But he doesn’t. Instead he cuts off a piece of his mantle, but lets his enemy go.
In English, the word “love” means a whole bunch of different things. We love God, but we also love our spouse, our brother and our mother. There’s love of country and loving the snow (if that’s you, you’re about to be very happy), love of scrambled eggs and even love of God.
But the Hebrew word for God’s love, HESED, is different. It means faithful love, the kind that doesn’t give up on the other. It means the love that is kind, that thinks only of the other. But most of all, it means a love that shows mercy.
The kind of merciful love that forgives the chosen people every time they turn away. I’ve always loved the Book of Hosea, which is all about an unfaithful spouse who is forgiven again and again. It’s about the kind of love, which responds to infidelity and sin by sending your only Son to be crucified as a sacrifice which teaches us how to love.
So, why does David not kill Saul when he had the chance? Because he’s starting to understand the meaning of love.
