Our Choices Matter

By Samantha Rodriguez

“Hushai told Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, ‘Ahithophel has advised Absalom and the elders of Israel to do such and such, but I have advised them to do so and so. Now send a message at once and tell David, “Do not spend the night at the fords in the wilderness; cross over without fail, or the king and all the people with him will be swallowed up.”’ Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En Rogel. A female servant was to go and inform them, and they were to go and tell King David, for they could not risk being seen entering the city. But a young man saw them and told Absalom. So the two of them left at once and went to the house of a man in Bahurim. He had a well in his courtyard, and they climbed down into it. His wife took a covering and spread it out over the opening of the well and scattered grain over it. No one knew anything about it. When Absalom’s men came to the woman at the house, they asked, ‘Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?’ The woman answered them, ‘They crossed over the brook.’ The men searched but found no one, so they returned to Jerusalem. After they had gone, the two climbed out of the well and went to inform King David. They said to him, ‘Set out and cross the river at once; Ahithophel has advised such and such against you.’ So David and all the people with him set out and crossed the Jordan. By daybreak, no one was left who had not crossed the Jordan. When Ahithophel saw that his advice had not been followed, he saddled his donkey and set out for his house in his hometown. He put his house in order and then hanged himself. So he died and was buried in his father’s tomb.”—2 Samuel 17:15-23 (NIV)

If you’ve been following along with the 2 Samuel devotionals, then you know David’s predicament here. In summary, David’s son, Absalom, is rebelling against him after years of broken family relationships, disappointment, and pride. It’s a very nuanced situation, but it has put David in jeopardy.

In 1 Samuel 15, after the initial takeover where Absalom strategically proclaims himself as king, David and his loyal followers flee to avoid bloodshed. He requests his trusted adviser, Hushai, to stay back as an undercover supporter of Absalom. Because of this, Hushai can give Absalom advice that secretly benefits David. When he sends word to David about the impending attack, he and his people are able to cross the Jordan ahead of time.

When I read this story, I can see a common theme of choices. Every person had to make a variety of choices, not just in today’s passage, but in this entire section of Scripture. Absalom chose revenge, bitterness, and rebellion. David chose to flee and protect his family. Hushai chose courageous and risky obedience to his king, and so did the messengers Ahimaaz and Jonathan. The unnamed woman chose to support and hide them when they were in danger along the way. David chose to heed their counsel and begin his escape, and Ahithophel ultimately chose despair. These decisions were each made based on either trust or fear, faith or pride.

When we consider the choices we make daily, even repetitive or natural behaviors that we seemingly don’t think about, they all stem from a motivation. Those motivations can either be self-serving or God-serving. They can either put us in a place of control or in a place of surrender. Although David certainly made mistakes and was not always pure in his motives, he allowed God to continually humble him. Whenever David allowed his flesh to get in the way, he eventually repented and submitted to God.

Absalom didn’t show this desire or behavior. His choices stemmed from unresolved family trauma that led him to grow resentful. Although his anger may have initially been justified, dwelling on that anger for years and allowing it to consume him is what led to his demise.

Whenever we let sin and darkness consume us, sometimes under the guise of “righteousness,” it will lead us down a path of destruction. Ahithophel had enough sense to leave his house in order, but his decision to take his life was foolish. Whenever our motives are based on fear, desperation, and hopelessness, our decisions will most likely be unwise and selfish. This is why it's so important to continually bring our struggles and fears before the Lord in complete honesty!

Please note: This is not a comment on serious mental health struggles that contribute to suicidal thoughts. If you’re struggling, please reach out to our team at DanielS@CalvaryFTL.org.

As you continue reading the story, observe the choices being made and what their motivations are. Sometimes, they may seem unclear. Other times, the consequences for a person’s actions will still negatively affect people even after repentance or restoration.

The key truths we must carry in these stories are the following:

• God is the only one worthy of our trust, service, and obedience.
• We must constantly check our hearts, prayerfully asking God to uproot any sinful motivations and cultivate a heart of surrender.
• Consequences for actions are inevitable, yet God is faithful to forgive and rescue.

Let’s walk forward with hope that we can’t mess up or throw off God in His sovereignty, and we have a role to play in choosing to trust and obey Him daily!

Pause: Take a moment to consider the motives behind your actions. What are you usually considering before you make a decision?

Practice: Write down some of your behaviors, both good and bad, and try to identify the motives behind them. Then, consider what you must do to change them to honor God more.

Pray: Father God, thank You for being mighty and in control! You’re worthy of my trust, even when it seems easier to trust myself. I repent of trying to be in control all the time. I need You to humble me. Remind me of Your goodness and faithfulness. I don’t want to act like Absalom, so help me to put my complete faith in You! I want to walk in step with You. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.