You Are The Man!

2 Samuel 12:7

Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the Lord God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.

Every brother I know would love to hear his friends say to him, “You are the man!” We live our lives to be appreciated by our peers and esteemed by others and to hear them say, “You are the man.” We try our best to get to the top, whether by hustling in the streets or climbing corporate ladders we all want to be the man. We want to hear our wives say, “Baby you are the man for what we do in the boardroom and in the bedroom, but there is one person I fear that I never want to hear him say, “You are the man,” and that is God.

In every sense of the word, David was a man after God’s own heart. From his humble beginning as a lowly shepherd boy to his meteoric rise to become king of all Israel, David was the man! He defeated Goliath; he was Saul’s top armor bearer, son in law, and top general. He became King after Saul’s death. He had a number of beautiful wives and children, but somewhere between being humble & hungry David became Haughty & Horny.

The Scripture tellingly says in the spring time when Kings go out to battle, David stayed at home. It’s dangerous when we get to the top, we stop having the discipline and drive that go out there in the first place. The higher up you go, the more careful you have to be.

David was careless on his rooftop. He saw Bathsheba taking a bath. He finds out she is married to Uriah. He abuses his power and brings her up for a one night stand that leads to her getting pregnant. David tries to cover it up by bringing her husband home from the war. David gets him drunk, feed him, then tries to send him home to sleep with his wife so it will look like he got her pregnant. Uriah sleeps outside with David’s servants because he has so much discipline and love for God and country. He knows what kind of warrior his King is and he doesn’t want to dishonor his King. Who wouldn’t kill to have a man like that on your staff or your team? Loyal, faithful, disciplined and brave. Instead of recognizing the valor in this brother David is too busy trying to cover his mess and has Uriah killed on the front line. He even gives him the note with instructions to Joab to have him set up. He gives Uriah the note of his own death sentence.

Nathan, the prophet, pays David a visit after he moves Bathsheba in his house. The Prophet begins to tell David a story about a rich man who took a poor man's only little lamb and killed it because he was greedy. Nathan asked, “What do you think of this man?“ David said, “He should pay back four times what he took and somebody should kill that man.” Nathan said, “You are the man.”

God said to David, “I anointed you king, I gave you wives and land. I would have given you more if you had just asked, but now the sword will never leave your house, and the baby you had will die. Your neighbor (his son Absalom) will sleep with your wives on the rooftop in broad daylight. David, you are the man! How do you avoid being that man?

1. Go to war. No matter how successful you become don’t lose the discipline that got you there.

2. Don’t use people to get what you want. When People become Pawns for your own selfish use, you have become that man. Treat people with respect, don’t use them as pawns.

3. Don’t be greedy. David had what he needed and some. Survey what you have and ask yourself, “When is enough ….enough?”

4. Don’t covet your neighbor’s wife or property. When you have an appreciation of what you already have, you won't fall into the trap of lusting for O.P.P. (other people’s Property) You down with OPP….NO!

5. Repent if you become that man. Read Psalm 51

Dear God, I don’t want to be the man! I want to be a man after your own heart. On my way toward success don’t let me forget what got me here. Lead me not into temptation but deliver me from evil. Renew the Right Sprit within me and restore the joy of my salvation.

In Jesus Name.
Amen.