God's People can some times be the worst!! 2 Samuel 15-19

God's people can some times be the worst!!!   In this section of 2 Samuel we have what may be the best example of the worst behavior in the time of crisis for a group of believers.   David's son, Absalom, doesn't like his position in life as the King's son but instead wants to be the king.   So, he revolts but silently stealing away the hearts of the people.   It wasn't hard because David's pride had made him a distant leader to his followers.   So, the revolt happens and here is where the worst in people ... and these people were supposedly believers ... comes out.  Plots are thickened in these chapters, people jockey for position in these chapters, ego, envy and ignorance rule in these chapters.   One man curses David when he leaves Jerusalem in shame and then bows down to him and asks forgiveness when David is returned.  One servant deceives David about his master and in the end David doesn't know who to believe and splits his property in two.  One general thinks he is doing good by disobeying David's direct order and killing the son.  Another soldier knows better and is shamed in the process.   Who said believers can be wicked?   This is a great example of the all encompassing depravity of man.   Unless the grace of God ruled in this world we would all be like these chapters in God's Word.   But, David humbles himself and restores order to the kingdom through the grace of God.   Humility is always the way back to God.  Humility allows repentance and repentance is the avenue to God.  It is when men refuse to repent that they are in a continual state of loss.  In this chapter we see order turned to disorder and their return to order.   The reason is because their is repentance, grace, mercy, forgiveness and humility demonstrated on the part of David.   Let's make no mistake about it:  Believers can be just as bad as unbelievers in the midst of a power struggle.  The difference is that believers have the grace of God to enable mercy, forgiveness and humility to find their way back.