Day 1

CHAIN REACTION

Everyone influences others and has responsibility for the nature of that influence. Every decision we make starts a chain of consequences. As Christians what we do and are attracts comment because our faith implies certain standards and attitudes. If we fall short of them we will be judged as failures or even as hypocrites.

David's life after his sin with Bathsheba demonstrates just such a chain of consequences. He had received absolute pardon from God and borne his judgement but God warned him of the results of his actions (2 Sam. 12:10-12). It was not that God would cause evil but that David's own action had changed the attitudes of others. Confidence in his integrity was shaken, in some quarters he was ridiculed, his authority as judge was compromised and even Israel's enemies were encouraged by the sign of God's disfavour. The saddest thing of all is that David's own confidence was broken. He lost his decisiveness and his trust in the loyalty of those around him. If only he had taken his own words to heart and not allowed himself to dwell on his fall (Psalms 37 and 18).