Head Scratcher — Mephibosheth - Tuesday
Today’s Verse
Psalm 139:1-3
Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I stand up; you understand my thoughts from far away. You observe my travels and my rest; you are aware of all my ways. (CSB)
When I was growing up, we were not wealthy by societal standards. I vividly remember the summer before my sophomore year of high school when I attended summer school for gym class. My dad picked me up in his clunker car filled with papers and trash, with little to no room for additional passengers. One of my friends stopped me on the way out and asked if I could give her a ride home. My heart stopped, but I said yes because she was my friend. Then the panic set in. She would see all the junk. She would hear the loud motor and listen to my dad’s awful jokes. I wanted to crawl under a rock and hide when I heard his car coming. Looking back now, I know my parents did the best they could with what they had. I know that I shouldn’t have cared what people thought, but as a teenager, that was all I cared about. I wanted to be accepted and belong to part of a group.
As we read 2 Samuel 9, we find that out of loyalty to Jonathan, King David asked, “Is there anyone still left of Saul’s family that I can show the kindness of God to?” Ziba said to the king, “There is still Jonathan’s son who was injured in both feet” (2 Samuel 9:3). Ziba didn’t mention Mephibosheth by name. He was just a son of Jonathan. The only characteristic that Ziba mentions is the fact that Mephibosheth was disabled. For Ziba, Mephibosheth was his disability. Ziba had dehumanized Mephibosheth. Ziba and much of his society viewed people with disabilities as a burden. King David, motivated by keeping a promise to his friend Jonathan, would change the attitude of many towards people affected by disability. He reached out to Mephibosheth to show him kindness and to offer him a place of belonging.
David gave Mephibosheth land, provision, and a place at his royal table, “like one of the king’s sons.” Not just visited. Not just tolerated. Welcomed, restored, and embraced. Mephibosheth didn’t earn his seat at the table. He simply received it. The same is true for us at God’s family table.
REFLECTION
Today, consider: What lies do you believe about your worth? Let Mephibosheth remind you that your place in God’s kingdom isn’t based on perfection; it’s based on promise.