April 10 – Reading 100

APRIL 10 – Reading 100

by Chris Rainey | April 10

“THE MACHINE”
(1 Samuel 29:1-11; 1 Chronicles 12:19-22; 1 Samuel 30:1-31; Psalm 12:1-8; 13:1-6)

Then all the wicked and worthless fellows among the men who had gone with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may lead away his wife and children, and depart.” – 1 Samuel 30:22

I’ve often thought of the tensions I feel working for a large corporation when compared to the parallel life I live in the faith community. The corporation demands competence, productivity, accountability, and loyalty. It ruthlessly eliminates lack of productivity and weakness. All of this supports a company’s mission, which usually includes creating “value” for customers, employees, and shareholders. Sure, there is a sense of community and a set of values in the corporation, but they are not always aligned with the values of the faith community, which includes God, relationships, and showing compassion for the weak.  Maybe you feel this tension in your own work and faith and struggle with it like I do.

In today’s reading, David has fled to the Philistines to avoid Saul, but the Philistines don’t trust him and they reject his appeal to fight alongside them.  Upon returning to Ziklag, where they had left their families, David and his men find the city burned and their wives and children gone, having been taken into captivity by the Amalekites. This leads to a leadership crisis in which the “people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul” (1 Sam. 30:6). After worship and prayer, David and his six-hundred men set out to rescue their families, but a strange thing happens: “Two hundred stayed behind, who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor” (1 Sam. 30:10).  

David then leads the four-hundred who didn’t opt out to victory over the Amalekites, capturing the spoils and reuniting their families. When it came time to distribute the spoils, some wanted it only to go to those who actually fought, but David overruled them and said all will share in the spoils, even those who did not fight. In his leadership role, David saw this outcome as best for the entire community, not just for the few.  Was it fair? Probably not, but that is not always the only consideration. David’s decision to share the spoils equally, even with those who didn’t fight, aligns with the faith community’s emphasis on compassion and unity, demonstrating that even in a competitive and demanding world, there is a place for grace.

Application
This text helps us reflect on the contrast between corporate and faith community values, highlighting the conflict between productivity and compassion. 

Reflection
The writer Paul Kingsnorth refers to our modern technocratic culture as “the machine.” How does the phrase “the machine” describe the pressure you feel as you go to work each day to be someone you are not? What effect does worship and prayer have on our response to “the machine?”

Closing Prayer…
Dear God, thank you for the reminder today that your ways are not always our ways. Help us to live out the values of the faith community in our daily lives – compassion, grace, and unity – even when it seems counterintuitive to the demands of the world. As we navigate the challenges of work and life, remind us to seek you first, to trust in your guidance, and to prioritize the well-being of the entire community. In Jesus’ name, Amen.