But wherein had David failed? We must be fair and note that
in other ventures in life, David was not a failure. In fact in many things he
was very successful. We observe that David rose rapidly in rank. We saw him first
as a shepherd boy. He possessed a brilliant mind and fortitude. As a courageous
lad he went out to meet and defeat the great giant Goliath in battle. David was
a many sided man. He was not only a shepherd but a poet, a singer and later to
become the King of Israel. A man like this will usually make good in any
situation. While as king much wealth was accumulated in the treasury. The
enemies had been defeated. The time was called the ‘Golden Age of Israel.’
David provided the proper foundation upon which his son Solomon eventually
erected the temple. But in what did this successful man fail?
He failed as a father. David paid a great price for his
success. When David looked over his life he saw it too. It cost him many hours
of sorrow. Our text in 2 Samuel 18:31-33 reveals only one time of his weeping.
His son was killed while rebelling against him. Many fathers are like David
today. They too will pay the price. Some men are successful at building
fortunes but completely unsuccessful at building men.
One might ask, why did David take this failure so hard?
Because of his tender love for his son he had lost. Fathers are not supposed to
do much weeping it is often thought by misinformed individuals. We should
understand however that often fathers are just as devoted to their children as
mothers. David also takes his failure hard because his loss is without remedy.
We may blunder in some things and correct them next time but there is no next
time in the rearing of children. David could have said, “I would make Absalom a
different boy if I could only have my time over with him.” No wonder he cried.
David took failure hard because he knew he lost his son hopelessly. Absalom was
gone for good. He could not be brought back again. Death always produces this
feeling when we loose loved ones. David lost his son needlessly. If he had been
the right kind of a father, perhaps he could have saved his son. Many a father
carries this accusation in his bosom.
The story is told about a father who took his little child
into the field one afternoon and it being a hot day he laid down in the shade
of a beautiful tree. The little child ran about gathering wild flowers and
little bits of grass and coming to his father and would cry, “Look how pretty!” At last the father
fell asleep and while he was sleeping the child wandered away. When the father awoke
his first thought was, “Where is my
child?” He looked around but he could not see him. He shouted at the top of
his voice but all he heard was an echo. Running to a little hill he looked
around and shouted again. There was no response. Then going to a steep cliff at
some distance he looked down and there, far below on the rocks and briars he
saw the mangled form of his precious child. He rushed to the spot and took up
the lifeless corpse and hugged it to his bosom and accused himself of being the
murderer of his child. While he was sleeping and neglecting for a just a short
time his child had wandered over the precipice.
Such depicts so many fathers and mothers today. While their
children are wandering closer and closer to the edge of the cliff and to
certain destruction, parents are asleep regarding the moral and spiritual
welfare of their off-springs. Often parents contribute to the downfall of their
children because of their own way of life. Some fathers drink, gamble and are
unfaithful to their marriage vows; and then they wonder what went wrong in the
rearing of their children. King David was crushed beneath the burden of thought
that he had lost his son Absalom for all eternity. It should be noted that
providing the daily necessities for one’s family is not enough. More important
is the rearing of children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians
6:4). Money may provide for the body but not for the soul. Money may buy
groceries but not character.
Another question to ponder is why was David a failure as a
father? When John was born, the question was raised, “What then shall this child be” (Luke 1:66)? It is required of
parents to train children in the way of the Lord (Proverbs 22:6). David
undoubtedly shifted his responsibilities to someone else. He had many
obligations, cares, troubles and political problems but he should not have
neglected his son. Perhaps Absalom never thought about going to David with his
broken toy and he never thought about going to him with his broken heart. David
gave him everything but himself. Many fathers are like that today. David in his
sins concerning Bathsheba could have influenced his son, adversely so. David
repented and returned from the far country of sin but Absalom never came back
from that land of sorrow.
Fathers, you should consider your responsibilities toward your
children before it is eternally too late. Lead your loved ones in the way of
the Savior Jesus Christ. Make every effort to save your family from sin and an
everlasting separation from the God of heaven. You cannot afford to lose your
sons and daughters.
