Forgiven Much

By Danny Saavedra

“The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, ‘Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?’ So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand select Israelite troops, to search there for David. Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul had followed him there, he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived. Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army encamped around him. David then asked Ahimelek the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, ‘Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?’ ‘I’ll go with you,’ said Abishai. So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him. Abishai said to David, ‘Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t strike him twice.’ But David said to Abishai, ‘Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless? As surely as the Lord lives,’ he said, ‘the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let’s go.’”—1 Samuel 26:1-11 (NIV)

Don’t tell my kids, but I actually love our dog, Gracie. She’s a lovable, sweet golden retriever. But she also happens to be gross sometimes. If you’ve ever had a dog, you probably know what I’m talking about. One of the grossest things I’ve ever seen was when she vomited in her tent and proceeded to gobble it right back up. And yet, as gross as that is, the Bible tells us people do the exact same thing (spiritually): "As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly" (Proverbs 26:11 NIV).

Here’s what I believe: Most people don’t want to be bad. Most criminals don’t grow up dreaming of being criminals. People don’t set out to become bitter, toxic, selfish, or cruel. Most people want to be good, want to do right, and want to be seen as nice and kind. The problem? Jesus says, “No one is good—except God alone” (Mark 10:18 NIV).

My friends, goodness is a gift. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:8–10 NIV).

We Christians are good and do good only as a result of the Holy Spirit living and working in and through us. It’s His power that changes what we say, think, and do. And the best part is that when the Spirit produces true goodness in us, it becomes a testimony to the world, God uses to open blind eyes to the power of the gospel. It helps people see the light of Christ in a world dominated by darkness (2 Corinthians 4:4).

But here’s the hard part: Some people won’t change. Some people—like Saul—will see the goodness of God, will even acknowledge it for a moment, and still return to their vomit.

David’s Second Chance at Revenge

This is the second time David finds himself in a reversal of fortunes situation. Once again, Saul’s hunting him down. And once again, God delivers Saul into David’s hands. David has the chance to end Saul’s life and stop running, but once again, David refuses to take vengeance.

David’s men must have been baffled. Why keep showing mercy to a man who clearly doesn’t deserve it? When is enough enough?! How many more chances can David give him?!

There was probably a part of David that was exhausted with this. After all, he had done good. He had been merciful. He had already chosen grace. And yet here Saul was again, coming back to the vomit.

But David understood something we must also understand: We can’t change people; only God can. We aren’t responsible for the ultimate standing of their souls before God; they are. All we can do is respond to them as Jesus instructs: “‘How many times should I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times’” (Matthew 18:21–22 NIV). And guess what? If you happen to hit that number? Double it! Because Jesus is actually saying there’s no limit to the forgiveness of God, so there should be none when we forgive others.

As Paul reminds us, "Let us not become weary in doing good” (Galatians 6:9 NIV). David didn’t grow weary in doing good. And neither should we. Because here’s the thing: Saul may not have changed, but some people will. You and I are evidence of this truth! Saul didn’t repent and change, but we did—and probably not on the first time we were shown grace or pointed to Jesus’ love.

Like the woman in Luke 7:36–50, our many sins have been forgiven. And because of that, we’re compelled to love much and forgive much. That means for believers, we should “not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this [we] were called" (1 Peter 3:9 NIV).

Just like how David said, “Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?” we can say, “I refuse to repay with evil the one whom the Lord suffered, bled, and died for!” Instead, we pray that this time the light of the gospel will break through, and they’ll see the goodness of God and surrender to Him.

And if they don’t? If they return to the vomit? We still choose good, because that’s what Jesus did for us. And in the end, “at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9 NIV). A harvest of what? Of the number of people we’ll see in heaven that God used us to draw to Himself, of the reward in heaven that awaits us, and of the joy, peace, and freedom of living and forgiving like Jesus!

Pause: Have you been struggling with someone who keeps hurting you? Are you weary of showing kindness, wondering if it even matters?

Practice: Choose to respond with love. Choose to do good. Whether it’s through prayer, kindness, or through refusing to retaliate, do what’s right and trust God to work in their heart.

Pray: Father, I confess my heart struggles with showing grace to those who don’t deserve it. I want justice. I want fairness. I want things to be made right. But I also know You’re the God of second and third and hundredth chances. I know that You alone can change a heart. Jesus, I’ve been forgiven much. I didn’t deserve Your mercy, but You gave it anyway. Help me to love much because I’ve been forgiven much. Help me to never grow weary in doing good, even when I don’t see results. Let me trust that every act of grace, every moment of patience, and every act of love is part of a greater story You’re writing. Holy Spirit, strengthen me. Fill me. Guide me. Let my life reflect the love of Christ in a way that draws others to You. And if I never see the change I hope for, let me still walk in faith, knowing that my reward is not in the results, but in obedience to You. I trust You. I surrender to You. And I thank You for Your endless mercy. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.