IDLENESS

2 samuel 11:1-17; Ps 51 Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinnedMark 4:26-34

Devious.  Treacherous.

This could be the most fitting word to describe King David in today's first reading.  He is devious in his attempts to go undetected, to cover up what he and the wife of another were involved in.

David took Bathsheba the wife of Uriah as if she were his own.  She becomes pregnant.  So david tries to cover it up.  He tries to trick Uriah.  And when the tricks fail he simply has Uriah killed.

Wow!

Adultery!  Murder!

Uriah probably never knew what was going on.  He never knew the devious nature of his king.

It is hard to imagine any thing more treacherous.

Why did this happen in the first place?

Well look at the beginning of the reading, "at the turn of the year, when kings go out on campaign, David sent out Joab along with his officers and the army of Israel…David ,however, remained in Jerusalem..."

When kings go out on campaign yet David doesn't go.  He stays back and takes siestas.  His life had become filled with leisure and idleness.   If only he would have stayed active and busy.  If only he would have gone out on campaign like kings do then maybe this could have been avoided.

How often in our life does idleness lead to other more dangerous affairs?


This reading gives us a pause to examine many things in our life: motives, intentions, actions.  All of which are essential to a life of holiness and faithfulness.

Jesus reminds us of this reality in the gospel about the kingdom of God and the mustard seed.

The kingdom of God isn't so much about the difference in size between the seed and plant of the mustard tree; rather, it is about service.  The smallest seed becomes useful.  It serves the birds of the air.

Anything touched by grace directed toward service can be a model for the kingdom.  True growth is for service.

David stopped serving God and fell into the sin of self service.

Where is our growth?  Who do we serve?  How is the kingdom realized in our life?