Recreate Church, Pastor Michael Shockley—Service, Sunday, April 11, 2021

The Art of Dodging Spears.

Today Pastor Michael is discussing what we do when someone throws a spear at you?  Do you have a plan?

Spears can be many things…hurtful jokes, subtle digs, backhand sayings, guilt tripping and shaming of bringing up your past mistakes.  The hurts that go deep inside our hearts with words that sting…those wounds can take far longer to heal that if an actual spear hit you!

We need to know what to do when those spears are thrown at us.  David can teach us about this, as he was a man that excelled at dodging spears.  Three things need to be discussed in this study:

1. Why do people throw spears?  Saul grew jealous of David when it was said David had slain more enemies than Saul.  This anger festers within Saul and turns into hatred and fear. So people sometimes lash out at us, out of fear and anger.  
2. What is the nature of spears?  Spears are close range (as weapons and as things that hurt us).  The closer you are (to the spear or to the person) the more dangerous it is.  David had grow into the family of Saul with Jonathan, Saul’s son being David’s best friend.  This infuriated Saul, all the more.  The people most close to us are the ones most able to hurt us with their words and actions. 
3. Resist becoming a spear thrower.  It’s natural to want to throw spears back when someone does something hurtful to you.  David could have killed Saul in the cave and did not.  David knew Saul would be handled by God.  David refused to give back the hurt that was given him.  He refused to become just another spear thrower.

Today’s bible verses are found in 1 Samuel 18: 1-30, 1 Samuel 19: 1-23 and 1 Samuel 24: 1-21.