Uriah's heap

Uriah was one of David's "thirty mighty men", yet still David instigated Uriah's death because David desired Bathsheba (the daughter of Eliam, another of the Thirty). [2 Sam. 11 & 2 Sam. 23]. Unless, of course, these are two different guys named Uriah. But if the Uriah who was one of David's "thirty mighty men" was also the husband of Bathsheba, and David had him killed, it's quite an egregious act. David would not only have gotten another man killed, but one that he knew fairly well, just so he could a) have Bathsheba for himself or b) hide his affair with Bathsheba.

It made me think of how insidious people are at times, myself not excluded. It made me think of what lengths I go to get my way, and also how artful I have become so that I don't step on anyone's toes in the process, and in the end fail to get my way and to not step on others' toes. Sometimes life just doesn't go as we hoped it would. For David, he first tried to get Uriah to go to his house to make it appear that Uriah caused Bathsheba to be pregnant. When Uriah didn't do what David expected him to do, he then devised a plot to put Uriah to death during a battle. After this plot was successful, and David apparently didn't seem worried about the matter anymore, Samuel was told by God to confront David. The result was David confessing his guilt (for killing an innocent man) and being very expressive in his remorse.

From all of this, I think it's safe to say David was very passionate. He was passionate with Bathsheba (producing a child), he was passionate about getting Uriah killed to cover his affair with another's wife, and he was passionate in realizing his wrongdoing. David was in a sense more human than I: he expressed who he was, even when the expression was evil. That is the lesson I think I see here, and what I want to learn. Maybe the "I" should be "we" above: maybe there are others who feel they've walled off reality between themselves and others, just as I feel I have, for the sake of saving face. At any rate, I'm going to practice being honest with others. It might be easy for others, but at many times it has been hard for me.

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