TURNING FROM OUR “ELIAB”
For others, unfortunately, it is bewildering and upsetting to see us changing while they are not. They devalue our growth in God, and try to “chip away” at our spiritual armor. Their goal is to see us revert back to our old self and our old ways, so they can justify that ultimately, we have not changed.
“And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner.” (I Kings 17:28-30)
In this relationship between brothers, Eliab did not see the greatness in David. He just saw his little brother; in his ignorance he devalued the future King of Israel. Eliab actually witnessed David being anointed by Samuel to be King (I Samuel 16:13), but he wanted to keep David in the position He had always known him to be in. Eliab was blinded to David’s relationship with God, and for that reason, he confused David’s confidence in God for youthful pride. Through David’s response, we see that Eliab most likely made a habit of accusing David of being mischievous and having a naughty heart. Nevertheless, David had no time to justify himself to his older brother; Eliab would never understand what God was about to do through David. David had to prepare himself for battle, so he turned away from his brother and turned towards his destiny. Little did they know, Eliab and the rest of Israel were going to see God’s delivering power through a “ruddy” young man that was after God’s heart.
We must turn from our “Eliab” and set our faces toward our divine destiny. Our lives can not be consumed with trying to justify ourselves to others, but it must be in submission to our relationship with God. God had communed with David so much (in the wilderness while he was watching the sheep), that David had time to see the power of God. Eliab looked at David’s job of watching the few sheep in the wilderness as something small and insignificant, but David was not alone he was with God.
Though others might place a reproach on the things we are doing, it is fortunately an opportunity for God to commune with us alone. He places us where our relationships and their influence have no power, which allows us to meet Our Father and learn to depend on Him solely. Our parents can’t come to the rescue in the wilderness, and our friends can’t give us their words of encouragement and support. We are alone with God as He unravels our past and shows us our destiny in Him. He shows us that our importance does not come from the relationships we have with people, but it comes from our relationship with Him.
Thank you for writing this, I definitely needed this. I've read through those scriptures and just thought of it as brothers quarreling (usual stuff), but this puts perspective on a simple situation.
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