Uncondtional Forgiveness Yields Unlimited Creativity - Part III

Unconditional Forgiveness Yields Unlimited Creativity

2 Samuel 13:1-33 – Part III

We cloak these feelings with the designer religious and rhetorical clothing of “righteous indignation.”  It seems more religiously appropriate and socially acceptable to be righteously indignant than to be murderously angry.  Some believers and churchgoers even rifle through the Bible to find a few scriptures to support their feelings.  Revenge sets in when disciples convince themselves that Almighty God has chosen them exclusively as direct agents of His vengeance.  It is very easy for people of faith to delude themselves into believing that Almighty God sanctions their every thought, feeling and action.  Under the aegis of demanding the rightful consequences of righteous indignation, we cloak self-centered fears that perpetrators will escape as free fugitives of the law.  The culture of Church and religious language become veils for selfish and sadistic motives to see others painfully punished.  Our genuine motivations of finding glee in the destruction of our enemies lie behind the designer and bourgeois religion.

In the compelling and shocking story of this text, Absalom personifies the quintessential archetype of a person who refuses to forgive.  For three years, Absalom nurses his anger toward Amnon for Amnon’s rape and defilement of Absalom’s sister, Tamar.  In time, Absalom’s anger metamorphosizes into rage.  His unrequited gall, personal disdain, unfulfilled judgment, thirst for vengeance and unsatisfied lust for punishment coalesce into murderous fury.  Blinded by the tunnel vision of heartfelt desire to avenge the dignity of his sister, Absalom, in response to David’s inexplicable silence, eventually reasons that the death of Amnon, his half brother and the son of his father, is the only means of rectifying this situation.

The latter chapters of 2 Samuel reveal Absalom’s creativity, industriousness, chutzpah, military acumen, and unrestrained ambition.  Interestingly, as the eldest son of David, Absalom traditionally and legally would ascend to the throne upon David’s death or abdication.  Imagine the possibilities for the reign of Absalom had it occurred within divine providence.  Consider the incredible accomplishments he would have made on behalf of Israel.  He would have defeated all of Israel’s enemies, domestic and foreign.  He would have improved the standard of living of each Israelite.  Yet, his character and personal endowments were corrupted by rage petrified within his mind and heart. 

Absalom’s failure to forgive Amnon forever defined his limitations in life.  Most regrettably, his attitude toward Amnon spilled over into his relationship with his father, King David, whom Absalom disdains because of David’s failure to intervene in this intricate family scandal.  A murderous plot under the aegis of achieving a just outcome to a dastardly deed soon results in a conspiracy to wrestle the reins of power from the king.  As Absalom’s schemes mature into the wanton, cruel and reckless designs to kill men, women and children to whom he is related, he fails to apprehend the gravity of his deeds.  He proceeds with reckless abandonment. 

Had Absalom been successful in his attempt to overthrow his father, his ascension to the throne would not have satisfied him.  The ruthlessness that metastasized within him would have affected negatively every relationship in his life.  A clergy colleague tells the story of going for ice cream one afternoon and observing a St. Bernard tied to a bench outside the entrance.  Unbeknownst to his owner, the dog, unable to evade the leash, somehow manages to wrestle the entire bench out of its pegs.  Then, the dog proceeds to run straightforwardly into traffic to complete his escape.  Concerned and observant motorists slam on their brakes to avoid hitting and possibly killing the dog.  As he flees, the bench flings sideways causing collateral damage to cars and anything in the dog’s path.  As Absalom’s rage transforms into ruthlessness, anyone he encounters become collateral damage to satiate his unrestrained ambition and limitless thirst for revenge.

Examine Absalom’s captivity to these outrageous thoughts and deeds.  What if he had been able effectively to resolve his anger and resentment?  He would have been the recipient of the ultimate liberty and happiness.  He would channel his talents and dreams toward worthwhile causes than striving to appease an insatiable ego.  In many ways, Absalom’s unbridled desire for vengeance conjures memories of Herman Melville’s immortal character, Captain Ahab, who recklessly risk the lives of his crew in order to extract revenge upon Moby Dick for biting off Ahab’s leg.  Given Ahab’s prior success in sailing, imagine the considerable fortune that awaited him from whale oil and other commodities from the sea.  He conceivably could have owned his own shipping line at some point.  However, the bitterness and rage in his heart ate away at his dreams and goals each day.  He subordinated them to his primary purpose of finding the great whale and killing him in exchange for the loss of his leg. Likewise, Absalom develops tunnel vision as he schemes to make Amnon pay for his rape of Tamar.