Check your heart

1 Samuel 29:10

“Now get up early, along with your master’s servants who have come with you, and leave in the morning as soon as it is light.” NIV

I’m traveling.  I don’t have my concordances this week, so, I’ve been fully reliant on Bible Gateway.com to find new reminders not to worry.  I’ve taken the opportunity to look at the word “worry” in different versions of the Bible.

This morning, I chose the God’s Word Translation, with which I am unfamiliar.  There, this verse reads, “Get up early in the morning with Saul’s servants who came with you, and go to the place I have assigned to you. Don’t worry about the unkind words, because I still approve of you. Get up in the morning, and leave when it’s light.” GWT

When I looked at the verse in the NIV, I don’t see that Achish tells David not to worry, and it’s not really evident in The Message either, which says, “So get an early start, you and men who came with you.  As soon as you have light enough to travel, go.” MSG

But, when I read the entire chapter, I can completely see that this is what Achish is saying.  Achish is allied with the Philistines at this point, and David and his men, servants of Saul, are fighting as part of Achish’s army.  The Philistines and Achish’s forces are preparing to go into battle.  The Philistine commander becomes worried that David and his men will turn against them, and he tells Achish that David must be sent away.

David is confused.  He’s done nothing to prompt Achish to doubt his loyalty.  Achish confirms this.  In verse 9, he says, “I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes an angel of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders have said, ‘He must not go up with us into battle.'” NIV

Bottom line?  The Philistines are scared.  They know that David is powerful, perhaps they even realize that he is one of God’s favorites.  In their hearts, they know that they and David’s people are not strong allies, (they were arch enemies a short time before) and, it appears that they fear that if David decides against them, they will be in danger.

The interesting piece here is that David seems ignorant of the fear that his fellow soldiers might have.  In verse 8, he says to Achish, “But what have I done?  What have you found against our servant from day I came to you until now?  Why can’t I go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?”

So, what can I learn from this?

David has a pure heart … the Philistines are afraid of him … they send him home … Achish disagrees with the Philistine commander, but sends David home anyway … as he does so, he lovingly reassures him … “don’t worry about the unkind words because I still approve of you.”

Maybe that’s it.  People may say unkind things to me or about me, but, if I have a pure heart, I shouldn’t worry about it.

That’s what I’ll think about today.