Perceptions

David was a broken man. He had rationalized, maneuvered, lied, manipulated – and it had worked! Things had gotten messy – they always do when we’re overreaching – but the secret had stayed under the surface.

Well, it had remained veiled until this religious guy pushed his way past all the protection and stood before David with a hypothetical issue to sort out, a “what if” kind of game. David, who had duped plenty of others, was duped by the story. He was deceived by his pride in his great knowledge and wisdom. It was such a simple story: a poor man had his very sustenance stolen by a rich man who had plenty.

When Nathan dropped the net, David was snared. He was the conniving rich man who had stolen his brother’s wife, committed murder and covered up the whole incident.

Then came the surprise: David changed his mind. He had spent months and months hiding the secret, rationalizing, maneuvering. Nathan had pronounced the results of David’s cover-up and we might accuse David of simply wanting to avoid consequences.

Except for his words to Nathan: I have gone wrong before the Lord. David’s manipulation had been to fool others. In an instant, he realized he was playing to the wrong audience. He might hide from people but never from God. And God was the only one who mattered.

David’s story is a rich story of repentance. Repentance means to change our mind, our understanding. The root word deals with perception and knowledge. David had spent enormous energy weaving a fabric to hide his own selfish reasoning.

Now he changed his mind. He understood that God could see through the fabric and that he was standing naked before the King of kings. David’s perception changed in a flash. He was broken.

Repentance is never about a moral code but about agreeing with God’s character and perceiving God’s presence. We stand naked before the Lord. The key is whether we look up or weave a fabric to hide behind.

Surely you desire truth in the inner parts ;
you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Psalms 51:6,12