Passing the Attention and Fandom to Others
[5] And David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him, so that Saul set him over the men of war. And this was good in the sight of all the people and also in the sight of Saul’s servants.
[6] As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. [7] And the women sang to one another as they celebrated,
“Saul has struck down his thousands,
and David his ten thousands.”[8] And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” [9] And Saul eyed David from that day on.
It was good for Saul to take this new champion and send him out on campaigns. We don’t know how long it was between Goliath and becoming the Commander in Chief. David played the harp for Saul for a while, lived in the king’s quarters for a while, and then went out of military campaigns.
The wild part about this is that Saul hated David out of jealousy. As long as Saul got the credit for sending David out, Saul got the glory. But once David starting getting his own glory for his victories, Saul became jealous.
If there is one thing that can hurt a generation, it’s the jealousy of the generation before it. This applies in the workplace, in the arts, and in the church. As younger people with new ways of doing things — due to technology, culture, or whatever– begin to do them, we would HOPE that they would be more effective for the Gospel than any of us ever were.
The obvious example is in music. Between the 7th and 10th century, organs, candles, and incense moved from the public and pagan space into the Church. Imagine that, organs being considered pagan!
Whatever the change, empowering and equipping the next generation to do by the TEN thousands the same thing that the previous generation did by the thousands is good for the church. There is nothing great like the local church when it works right, and if we’re working right, we might work better and better.
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