Where Lies Your Allegiance?
And Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite, who was from Bahurim, hurried and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David.There werea thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, and his fifteen sons and his twenty servants with him; and they went over the Jordan before the king. - 2 Samuel 19:16-17
On returning to the city, David would be met with another problem––Shimei, who threw stones at him and Ziba who deceptively gained the lands of Saul. Notice, Shimei had run away from David and now he is running back! He knew Absalom was dead. He was against David and went with Absalom, but now in public, he slithers back in allegiance as the king’s friend.
How many times have you seen people like this? At first they seem for you, then they come against you and in the end they try to come back? Proverbs 12:26 tells us: The righteous should choose his friends carefully. It is important to know that anybody can be your friend in public. But what are these so called friends saying behind your back?
That is what I am concerned about––know who they are because you really have to be careful who you trust. Always listen to the things that they say to you. Throw what is being said up in the air to discern which friend is real––as the wheat or false like chaff.
The Bible helps us to discern a true friend. Proverbs 20:19 gives us wisdom on who we should avoid: He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips. Whereas a true friend will tell you what you need to hear: Asiron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend (Proverbs 27:17).
Counterfeiting friendship is worse than counterfeiting money.
~Thomas Watson~
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