Who's Speaking Into Your Ear?

By Danny Saavedra

“Then Nathan asked Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, ‘Have you not heard that Adonijah, the son of Haggith, has become king, and our lord David knows nothing about it? Now then, let me advise you how you can save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. Go in to King David and say to him, “My lord the king, did you not swear to me your servant: ‘Surely Solomon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne’? Why then has Adonijah become king?” While you are still there talking to the king, I will come in and add my word to what you have said.’ So Bathsheba went to see the aged king in his room, where Abishag the Shunammite was attending him.”—1 Kings 1:11–15 (NIV)

In The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, there’s a scene where King Théoden sits in his hall under the poisonous influence of Gríma Wormtongue. His strength is fading, his mind is clouded, and his authority is slipping. It takes Gandalf’s intervention to expose the deception and restore the king’s clarity. Without that timely voice of truth, Théoden would have lost everything.

This picture comes to mind as I read 1 Kings 1. King David is old, weak, and uninvolved. His son Adonijah sees an opportunity and declares himself king, gathering allies and throwing a coronation feast. It looks like a done deal. But here’s the problem . . . God promised Solomon he’d be the one to reign. David himself had sworn it to Bathsheba. Adonijah’s move was not just ambition, it was rebellion against God’s plan. And in the brutal politics of the ancient world, Bathsheba and Solomon’s lives were in grave danger if Adonijah’s claim went uncontested.

Enter Nathan the prophet. Nathan had a history of speaking hard truths to David. He had confronted David after his sin toward Bathsheba and Uriah. Translation: Nathan was no stranger to risky conversations. And here again, Nathan refuses to stay silent. He comes to Bathsheba with urgent counsel: “Have you not heard . . .? Let me advise you how you can save your own life and the life of your son Solomon.” Nathan lays out a strategy: Bathsheba will remind David of his oath, and while she’s still speaking, Nathan will come in to confirm her words. This way, David will be stirred to act.

What’s remarkable is how Nathan embodies both courage and wisdom. Courage, because going against Adonijah’s momentum could have backfired. Wisdom, because he knows how to approach David with both truth and tact. He doesn’t barge into the king’s chamber yelling accusations. He helps Bathsheba present the case carefully, and then he steps in to strengthen her words. He knows that sometimes truth needs to be reinforced by multiple witnesses to break through passivity.

But Nathan isn’t the only one who shines here. Bathsheba listens and enacts his plan well. She doesn’t brush him off or assume she knows best. She doesn’t shrink back in fear. She takes Nathan’s counsel, walks into David’s presence, and puts her life on the line by speaking up. Verse 15 paints the scene vividly: the aged king, bedridden and tended by Abishag, receives this plea from his wife. Her willingness to act on Nathan’s counsel becomes the turning point that saves her son, protects the covenant line, and preserves God’s promise.

Here’s the takeaway for us: God often works His purposes not just through dramatic miracles but through courageous truth tellers and humble listeners. Nathan and Bathsheba show us both sides of the equation. And at different times, we’re going to be called on by the Lord to be both. So, the questions we must ask ourselves are, “Am I willing to be a Nathan? To speak truth in love when someone is drifting from God’s will, even when it feels risky or uncomfortable? And am I willing to be a Bathsheba? To humbly receive counsel from others, to act on wisdom I didn’t come up with, and to step into faith even when it feels intimidating?"

The voices we allow into our lives shape the direction of our steps. Proverbs 12:15 (NIV) says, “The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.” David’s silence almost cost Solomon the throne, but Nathan’s courage and Bathsheba’s humility preserved the promise. That’s the power of godly counsel embraced in obedience.

So, who’s speaking into your ear? Are the voices around you pulling you closer to Christ or nudging you toward compromise? And maybe the harder questions: Who are you speaking into? Whose life might God be preserving because you had the courage to step in with truth?

The kingdom was preserved because Nathan spoke and Bathsheba listened. And God still weaves His plans today through those who are willing to speak and those willing to hear. Make sure you’re ready to be either at any moment!

Pause: Whose voices are you letting influence you right now? Are they helping you walk in God’s will or pulling you away from it?

Practice: Seek out godly counsel this week. Maybe it’s meeting for coffee with a mentor, joining a small group, or simply asking a trusted friend to speak truth into your life.

Pray: Lord, give me ears to hear Your wisdom through others and the courage to speak truth in love when You call me to. Keep me from walking alone or listening to voices that lead me astray. Amen.