Disposing of Live Grenades

Disposing of Live Grenades: 2 Samuel 13:1-22

Recently, I read the story of a World War II veteran who served a tour of duty in Scotland; presently he resides in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.  Many years after the end of conflict, he still had a live grenade, which he had placed on a stand in his living room.  His grandson suggested that he get rid of it because of the potential danger to himself and others.  So, this veteran took the grenade to the local police station with the intent of giving it to the authorities so they could disarm and dispose of it.  He walked into the precinct and said, “I have a grenade.”  Immediately, police personnel called the bomb squad and swat team.  The fire department and local EMS were put on alert.  After the commotion subsided, the obvious miscommunication was clarified and the veteran’s commendable intentions were applauded.  Later, the local police force ran an advertisement requesting that citizens refrain from delivering explosives that they wish to discard to the station.  Instead, police recommended that citizens call first.

This somewhat humorous story, which fortunately had a good ending, illustrates the tremendous danger of anger.  This emotion is one of the most lethal we feel.  If not properly contained or channeled toward some constructive purpose, anger will explode like a grenade and wreak incredible destruction.  Anger is a poison of mind and heart.  It destroys anyone who nurses this fierce and unrelenting emotion.  In literature, Captain Ahab in Melville’s Moby Dick and Sergeant Jean Paul in Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables personify the inability to neutralize anger.  Both characters lose their lives due to anger, a fire which always leaves a path of destruction.

Interestingly, anger grows in the fertile soil of miscommunication or misinterpretation.  Someone once referred to an expectation as a “premeditated resentment.”  Often, we make assumptions on other people’s behalf.  In so doing, we have a conversation with them in our ears.  Regrettably, we then act on those incomplete and incoherent thoughts.  The failure of spouses, coworkers, children and friends to anticipate and fulfill our expectations makes us angry. 

In today’s text, Absalom holds rigid assumptions about how Kind David should handle the disgraceful rape of Tamar by Amnon.  Absalom possesses a strong sense of “righteous indignation.”  He resolves Amnon must rectify the indignity that Amnon visits upon Absalom’s sister, Tamar.  He patiently hopes Amnon accepts responsibility for his dastardly deed.  The text tells reveals a lack of communication amongst these three men, a father and two brothers. 

Silence leads to rage and vengeance that forms in Absalom’s mind and heart.  For two or three years, the grenade inside of him expands into a plot for Amnon’s murder under the ruse of a fraternal hunting party.  Repulsed by Amnon’s arrogant indifference to Tamar’s abuse and injury and repelled by David’s refusal to intervene, Absalom assumes control of meting out punishment.

Imagine how differently the tragic ending of fratricide, filial rebellion, the threat of death to David and the untimely death of Absalom could have been, had these three men simply talked with each other!  We dispose of live grenades of anger by respectfully expressing our thoughts and feelings.  Communication facilitates the possibility of restitution, restoration and reconciliation.  A reasonable and mutually beneficial solution usually emerges when we clarify intentions.

Instead, Absalom allows his anger to fester.  His self-centered fear that Amnon will go unpunished consumes Absalom.  His impatience toward their father grows daily.  Absalom’s refusal to forgive Amnon increases.  He resents Amnon for committing this “crime” against Absalom’s beautiful sister, Tamar.  Absalom misinterprets King David’s silence as acquiescence.  These thoughts metastasize into the irrationality of Absalom’s resolve to murder Amnon.

Preferably, Absalom would find effective means of channeling his anger toward a constructive end.  Why not arrange a conference between his brother, father and himself?  Perhaps, we also dispose of live mental and emotional grenades utilizing straightforward and honest communication.