In 1 chronicles 19, after the death of Nahash, the king of Ammon, we read of David’s resolution to show kindness to his son, Hanun, on account of his father. David says “I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, because his father showed kindness to me. So David sent messengers to comfort him concerning his father. And David’s servants came to Hanun in the land of the people of Ammon to comfort him.”
‭‭I Chronicles‬ ‭19:2‬

The beauty that is inherited favours. Remember this isn’t the first time we read of such occurrence in the bible. David also looked for anyone of the house of Jonathan to show kindness to, on account of Jonathan, who was his good friend.

May our parents also leave us an inheritance of goodwill, but much more, May we live in such a way that our children have a track record of helpers on our account.

Back to our story…

Hanun, who was the intended benefactor of this unmerited favour, sat mourning in his house when David sent an entourage to comfort him and let him know that he was for him on account of his father, but here’s what happens next; “the princes of the people of Ammon said to Hanun, “Do you think that David really honors your father because he has sent comforters to you? Did his servants not come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?”
‭‭I Chronicles‬ ‭19:3‬

And with no discernment, no validation of advise and no wisdom, Hanun becomes convinced that truly, David’s men had come to spy out the land in preparation for a takeover, so Hanun acts on the suspicions and advise of these men and he “took David’s servants, shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, at their buttocks, and sent them away.”
‭‭I Chronicles‬ ‭19:4‬

Same people who had come bearing good news were left humiliated and devastated because they ended up waiting a while in Jericho for their beards and hair to grow back before returning to their home.

The actions of Hanun, as a result of the advise he received from the said ‘princes’, ended up costing him unnecessary enemies and wars which ended up making his people servants to David. We read on that they “saw that they had made themselves repulsive to David, Hanun and the people of Ammon sent a thousand talents of silver to hire for themselves chariots and horsemen from Mesopotamia, from Syrian Maacah, and from Zobah.”
‭‭I Chronicles‬ ‭19:6‬

This was Hanun’s moment to pull an Abigail and go with gifts immediately to seek forgiveness from David as Abigail did after her husband aroused David’s anger, but Hanun chose rather to go and hire battle equipments to fight against someone who just wanted to show love and kindness to him and comfort him of his fathers death.

I took to my notes to write this as I meditated on this story;

“May we not have scoundrels disguising as friends and advisers around us.
May our hearts be so guarded that negativity cannot permeate.
May we not allow the voices of this world deceive us from the blessing God has given us.
May we be delivered from the spirit of paranoia and always remember that Gods blessings make rich and add no sorrow.
May we not be suspicious of the blessings of God, but rather, greatly rejoice at His wondrous deeds in and around us”.

As we’ll see, the devil will not always come as an attack spirit, sometimes it’ll be a suggestive spirit like paranoia or suspicion and we must be careful not to term either of these discernment.

I know the world appears to be getting crazier by the day, but the Lord hasn’t stopped to lead and direct His people, so may discernment be our daily companion and may we reap the fruit of accurate discernment and not act in haste or from suspicion.

May the voices around us agree with the voice of God within us, and when they don’t, May we have the courage to walk away and stick with that voice within us. Amen.