The Product of an Indulgent Father

2 Samuel 16-18 Proverbs 22:6 wisely admonishes parents to “Train a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”  David was a man after God’s own heart yet he failed Parenting 101 class as well as the one man-one woman rule. He was a dysfunctional parent and husband to his many children of many wives. His first child, Absalom, was the first child with honors awaiting him to rule after his father passed off the scene but as we read this story we see that Absalom was foolish, prideful, arrogant, bitter and lacked respect for his father and the role he should inherit. And so now he seeks to usurp the king’s position all because David indulged him. Spoiled children do make a king or queen as we can ascertain from history, not just here.

And all of this began one night long ago when David allowed lust to rule rather than God.

We can learn a lot from this story if we are willing to look. Look at the fruit of indulgence. Look at the fruit of not being discerning. David fits all categories. If we read Psalm 55 along with today’s passage we see the heart of David. We wish we could undo life but we can’t. It is wiser to learn from our mistakes and seek the heart of God.