Introduction

Good day to you all! Let us examine the 19th chapter of the Book of 2 Samuel. This chapter illustrates well that if you desire to be a sagacious person, emulate David; to be a shrewd leader, learn from David; and to be a wise priest, still follow David. In other words, David was an extraordinary individual because he possessed the Spirit of God. An exceptional quality resided within David, surpassing ordinary people in both magnanimity and wisdom. Those who fail to comprehend David's actions might perceive him as a simpleton; however, David, in turn, may see them as fools. The determination of who is foolish remains uncertain. Even a man as sharp as Joab could not fathom David's motives. Therefore, it is imperative to be intelligent in this world, lest one's life becomes a tragedy without wisdom and acuity. Mishandling issues can lead to a multitude of problems where none initially existed.

Some individuals lead arduous lives, ending in misfortune, constantly encountering an array of troubles. When people find themselves in such predicaments, I urge them to reflect on the foolish choices they have made in the past. Some never reflect, convinced of their own correctness, a kind of foolishness I have frequently observed. They ask me how to handle such situations. My response is, I would not find myself in such a situation, because I would not venture down that path in the first place. Thus, the theme of this chapter is The Wisdom of Winning Back Hearts.

The Wisdom of Leadership

It is critical to understand that wisdom is paramount in leadership. Some may say, I do not wish to be a leader. In that case, you will be led by others. For example, a millennial might lead a member of Generation X at work, criticizing their performance. The older employee might retort, I have more experience than you; I have been around longer. But these are foolish words, commonly uttered. What, then, constitutes the wisdom of leadership? We must learn wisdom from David. Some aim to be mediocre, but end up falling short, unable to even achieve mediocrity. For in order to be in the middle, there must be half below you and half above you. How can you avoid being their leader?

If you do not aspire to leadership, you will be among the lowest, like rats in a toilet, vying for limited resources, fighting to the death over a pile of excrement. It is undesirable to be subservient; it is far better to be in a position of authority. Even those who want to be in the middle must possess the wisdom of leadership. If you cannot lead one person, what can you accomplish? It is impossible to lead ten or one hundred people.

Management involves governing both people and affairs: govern people well, handle tasks effectively. Some may say, I just want to be ordinary, but ordinariness is unattainable. The desire to be ordinary is foolish; therefore, avoid being a fool. With wisdom, you will know how to navigate situations, and a wise person is eloquent. Why are some people articulate? Because their minds are filled with substance. Open your mouth without substance in your brain, and you will only speak foolish thing, that makes people tired. Some people speak foolishly from their twenties to their seventies or eighties, remaining unchanged. I will use David's wisdom to explain these matters.

The inability to speak well is a tragedy in life, because one's internal logic is flawed. How can one solve problems without eloquence? I resolve issues quickly because I know how to speak. In my youth, I was not loquacious, but I have accumulated words since then. My words are learned, not conjured from thin air. People speak to win over hearts. Brothers and sisters, have you noticed that I seldom speak of obedience, but rather of admiration? If you choose to obey, that demonstrates my wisdom; if not, so be it.

It is God's will that we become fishers of men. If your words wound others, revealing foolishness, how can you win them over? To win people is to win their hearts. Jesus rarely demanded obedience from His disciples, but they greatly admired Him. Brothers and sisters, rise up to be leaders, be wise, be fishers of men, win the hearts of people.

It is God's will that we govern this earth, be managers. God calls us to govern, not merely to be reasonable; that falls far short. Some engage in endless, logical arguments, yet lack any wisdom in governance or leadership. How can you reason with those below you?

Have you noticed that I seldom argue? If you attempt to argue with me, you will likely fail, as I speak from the heart. During Bible studies or sermons, my eyes often well up with tears, because my relationship with my brothers and sisters is one of emotion, not of material gain. What material gain do I seek from you? I speak of becoming fishers of men, serving others as if serving God.

To be a leader and win people, you cannot rely solely on reasoning with those below you. If you demand obedience and are met with resistance, resulting in conflict, what level of respect do you command? Is there no need to improve your low standards? The obvious disparity calls for diligent study. Inaction and silence are foolish.

Therefore, I forbid you from being foolish in our midst. I do not want you to be foolish. Even if I had to strap you to the wing of an aircraft, I would bring you into the Kingdom of God as a sagacious person. This is for your benefit, and I withhold nothing that benefits you. This is the wisdom of leadership. Could David have become king without wisdom?

Absalom: A Matter of the Heart

And Joab was told, “Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.” So the victory was turned into mourning for all the people, for the people heard that day how the king was grieving for his son. And the people stole into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. The king had covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!” (2 Samuel 19:1-4)

If David had Absalom killed, would the hearts of the people have been won back? No, they would have been scattered. Absalom had already captured the hearts of the Israelites. How many people even now can comprehend what David was doing? David wept upon hearing of Absalom's death, exclaiming, O my son Absalom! This was a display of grief, as David sought to regain the hearts of the Israelites! Those lacking understanding might celebrate Absalom's death, but what would be the result? Those who had sided with Absalom would rise in rebellion, as someone does in the next chapter. David had to win back the hearts of the Israelites; Absalom was a matter of the heart.

Was Joab intelligent? Yes, but he neither knew nor understood David's actions, for he lacked the necessary wisdom. Joab's wisdom was that of a general, with the knowledge to lead troops in battle. Now, we must recognize that sometimes battles are won, but at the cost of hearts and principles. As a song from my youth says, The righteous find abundant support, while the unrighteous find little. If your words lack righteousness, you cannot even be a successful gang leader. If you were a gang leader constantly plotted against by your underlings, how long could you last? Were Zhang Fei and Guan Yu not overbearing? Yet they were both killed by their subordinates.

Brothers and sisters, from now on, repeatedly tell yourselves, I am a fool, and you will become wise. If you declare, I am wise, you are the kind of wise person who often acts foolishly, incapable of change. I often say, Summarize the foolish things you have done in the past! But if you do not take it seriously, you will only grow more foolish. At times, when I encounter such situations, I feel anxious and troubled. How can I not be troubled when I watch people heading towards ruin? Thus, matters of the heart are exceedingly grave.

Some churches, in their constant infighting, scatter the hearts of their members. A pastor in one such church incessantly preached obedience. At times, he would close his eyes and point his finger, claiming to speak as a prophet. An arrow is coming from that direction! he would declare, and whoever was pointed at would face dire consequences. The congregation would be terrified, knowing that person was disobedient. Blindly pointing fingers is useless; it only drives people away. Eventually, the hearts of the people are completely scattered.

Brothers and sisters, know that I do not engage in falsehood when building a church. This is a matter of the heart. There must be genuine sincerity. Even stray dogs can discern whether you are serving with sincerity or not, let alone people. Therefore, even when I am busy, I answer calls from those who are even slightly affiliated with me, no matter the time of day, for that is service. My approach is not that you owe me something, but that I owe you: it is my duty to serve you. Such service warms people's hearts.

During a train journey, a sister once asked me a question. Some might wonder, Why is it always a sister? There are simply more sisters in the church. Do not assume that I am lascivious; Jesus also had twelve disciples, but more sisters followed Him. The sister asked me, Teacher, whom do you admire in 'Romance of the Three Kingdoms'? I suspected that she was testing me, so I said, I admire Liu Bei. She replied, I knew you would say that.

Liu Bei was skilled in winning over hearts. Despite his defeat in Xu Province, he continued to lead the elders and villagers of Xu Province. If Liu Bei had been deceitful, he would have abandoned these people, but why did he choose to proceed slowly with them? It was to win their hearts. Therefore, one must not be insincere, not even with dogs. Brothers and sisters, you must know that as a pastor, you must have a heart of compassion. Why was Liu Bei able to secure one of the three kingdoms? Because he had a heart of compassion. Liu Bei was prone to tears, as am I. I am unsure why, but I cannot help but cry, and it is never feigned.

In essence, the Absalom matter was a matter of the heart. How did Absalom win people's hearts? Through his own service. He served the Israelites extensively. When Absalom arrived in Hebron with over two hundred of the nation's pillars of support, news of his kingship quickly spread throughout Israel, and the people felt that Absalom would make a good king. David, having lost the hearts of the people, needed to reflect on how to win them back. However, Joab killed Absalom. What should David do?

The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!” (2 Samuel 19:4)

David was remarkable. Whether his actions were genuine or not, he wielded wisdom. David genuinely loved his son Absalom, who was intelligent but acted foolishly in this instance.

Win Back the Hearts of All the Tribes of Israel

David, having lost the hearts of the people, had to win them back. Though he had won the battle, he had not won the war for their hearts. If David had celebrated with champagne after winning the battle, the hearts of the Israelites would have been completely scattered. Why would they allow him to govern? Why would they follow him? Everything would have fallen into disarray, resulting in warlordism. David understood the gravity of the consequences, so he mourned.

So the victory was turned into mourning for all the people, for the people heard that day how the king was grieving for his son. And the people stole into the city that day, as people who are ashamed steal away when they flee in battle. (2 Samuel 19:2-3)

Military battles and political battles are on entirely different planes. David understood that one cannot win a tactical war only to lose a strategic war of hearts. China has deep wisdom in governing the nation, but later, people like Empress Dowager Cixi and King Zhou of Shang corrupted it. A king lacking wisdom marks the end of a dynasty. David was fighting a war for hearts, which showcased his wisdom.

Then Joab came to the king and said, “Today you have disgraced all your servants, who today have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, your wives and concubines, in that you love your enemies and hate your friends. For you have shown today that you consider neither commanders nor servants of any account, for today I perceive that if Mingding Destiny Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased.” (2 Samuel 19:5-6)

Have you noticed the problem? David's generals won the war and believed that David should thank them, but David could not do so, for it would have alienated many others. Thus, David sat at the city gate to first appease his men, allowing word to spread throughout Israel so that the Israelites could reflect on their actions.

Now all the people were quarreling throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies and saved us from the hand of the Philistines, and now he has fled out of the land from Absalom. But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore, why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?” (2 Samuel 19:9-10)

David had won back the hearts of some, and was advancing step by step. The relationship was no longer one of enmity. Brothers and sisters, if I have handled your issues, you will find that I followed this very logic, rather than seeking to win through reason. My goal is to win back hearts.

Winning Back the Heart of Judah

Absalom was from the tribe of Judah, and many officials in the court were from Judah. So David did this:

Then King David sent to Zadok and Abiathar the priests, saying, “Speak to the elders of Judah, saying: ‘Why are you the last to bring the king back to his house, since the word of all Israel has come to the king, to bring him back to his house? You are my brethren, you are my bone and my flesh. Why then are you the last to bring back the king?’ And say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my bone and my flesh? May God do so to me, and more also, if you are not commander of the army before me continually in place of Joab.’” (2 Samuel 19:11-13)

Why would David say this? Because Amasa was Absalom's commander, the defense minister, holding military power in his hands, and his men were skilled in battle. David's actions immediately solved many problems, reduced bloodshed, and won back the hearts of the people of Judah. What David did was important, but Joab was not pleased, believing that Amasa would replace him. Joab had the heart of a general, valuing his position, lacking political strategy and magnanimity. So Joab was hoist with his own petard.

If we want to be a leader, we must learn to manage. Did David know that Joab had performed great service? Did he know the risks of using Amasa? He knew all of this. If he could not handle these matters well, the entire nation of Israel could be divided into twelve small countries. So David had to find a way to win back the heart of Judah.

Thus he swayed the hearts of all the men of Judah, so that they sent a word to the king, “Return, you and all your servants.” (2 Samuel 19:14)

Why invite David and his servants back? Because returning would mean they would not be punished. If David had returned with his army and bloodily cleansed Jerusalem, that would have been terrible! I admire our great leader Chairman Mao, one of the few truly great figures. When he led his troops into Beijing, the Kuomintang soldiers were still in the city, but he subdued them without a fight. Could he have done this without winning the hearts of the people? Chairman Mao achieved this by extensively using Kuomintang generals who had revolted; he was a very wise man, and we should learn from him.

How to Handle Shimei

Now when King David came to Bahurim, there was a man from the family of Saul, whose name was Shimei the son of Gera; he came out cursing continually as he came. And he threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David, and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. Also Shimei said as he cursed: “Come out! Come out! You bloodthirsty man, you rogue! The Lord has brought upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the Lord has delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom your son. So now you are caught in your own evil, because you are a bloodthirsty man!” (2 Samuel 16:5-8)

Previously, Shimei had cursed David severely, demeaning him, because David had obtained Saul's throne. Shimei was from the house of Saul, wealthy and politically influential; he cursed David to vent his anger. But when Shimei saw that Absalom was dead and David was about to return as king, he knew he was in trouble, so he quickly pleaded guilty, thinking that perhaps he and his estate could be spared, considering only this.

Now Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, hastened and came down with the men of Judah to meet King David. There were a thousand men of Benjamin with him, and Ziba the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and twenty servants. And they went over the Jordan before the king. Then they crossed over a ferryboat to carry the king’s household across, to do what he thought good. Now Shimei the son of Gera fell down before the king as he came over the Jordan. Then he said to the king, “Do not let my lord impute iniquity to me, or remember what wrong your servant did on the day that my lord the king left Jerusalem, that the king should take it to heart. For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore here I am, the first to come today from all the house of Joseph to go down to meet my lord the king.” (2 Samuel 19:16-20)

But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?” And David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? Do I not know that today I am king over Israel?” (2 Samuel 19:21-22)

David's words were firm and forceful! Should anyone be put to death in Israel? Should I, the king of Israel, put my own people to death? Had Shimei cursed David? Yes! Shimei had cursed David, but now he confessed and repented. Was that true confession and repentance? Not really; Shimei was just an opportunist. Because David was king again, Shimei was only trying to save himself. David knew this very well, but he understood that he could not kill him at that moment.

And the king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” Then the king swore to him. (2 Samuel 19:23)

Shimei's problem was resolved, but a promise had to be kept. After David died, he had Solomon kill Shimei, because he was a hidden danger to Solomon's dynasty. Shimei was the kind of person with a rebellious streak; if he was idle, he would revolt, or when others revolted, he would join them. For the sake of the stability of the Solomonic dynasty, David had to eliminate this person.

David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should be adversaries to me today? Shall any man be put to death today in Israel? Do I not know that today I am king over Israel?” (2 Samuel 19:22)

David said: Don't I know I am king? I don't need you to tell me what to do. With your little wisdom, just stop it! That's what he meant. David handled problems very skillfully! My Bible study is also quite remarkable; it's all my own original work. When I research, I don't see anyone who can study the Bible like I do, because I have some of David's wisdom within me. Without David's wisdom, I couldn't do this work.

Handling Mephibosheth

Did Mephibosheth have a problem? Yes! The human heart is hard to fathom. Mephibosheth did not follow David when he left Jerusalem, but after half a month, when David's servants returned, could he have gone again? Yes! Let's look at this passage:

Now Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king. And he had neither cared for his feet, nor trimmed his mustache, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he returned in peace. So it was, when he had come to Jerusalem to meet the king, that the king said to him, “Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?” And he answered, “My lord, O king, my servant deceived me. For your servant said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself, that I may ride on it and go to the king,’ because your servant is lame. And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king, but my lord the king is like an angel of God; therefore do what is good in your eyes. For all my father’s house were but dead men before my lord the king. Yet you have set your servant among those who eat at your own table. Therefore what right do I have to cry out anymore to the king?” (2 Samuel 19:24-28)

Mephibosheth only told his side of the story. Do you know what happened? Mephibosheth was quite muddled. If David had not won the battle, Mephibosheth would have thought, Then I have to survive. I don't want to follow David with this lame leg and endure hardship.” After Ziba sent things back to David, could Mephibosheth have arranged for his family to prepare a donkey and go to David? Yes! Why not? He was only telling his side of the story. We might think David didn't understand, but how could David not understand?

Don't try to reason with me or explain things to me; I don't like explanations. When I mention someone, they immediately explain this and that to me, but I understand everything in my heart. Although I am not as capable as David, I am generally clear about human relationships and what people are thinking. Sometimes my heart is ice-cold. Could Mephibosheth have caught up later? Yes! Then why didn't he catch up? He didn't wash his feet, wash his face, or shave at home.

Why do I say this? The king said to Mephibosheth, “Why do you speak anymore of your matters?” This means: Forget it! Stop talking about it and go away! That's what it means. In fact, David's heart was ice-cold, because what Mephibosheth said was just an excuse! There is always a small calculation in people's hearts. On the path of serving, if you are concerned about gains and losses, you cannot continue! What else could you do with someone like Mephibosheth if you didn't treat him like that? David said to Mephibosheth, “You and Ziba shall divide the land.”

Ziba was quite bad, but we don't know what happened behind the scenes. However, there is definitely a problem here; people always embellish things to their own advantage. If you really wanted to go, preparing a donkey, would it be okay to leave one day later? Yes! No problem at all. In fact, he was just afraid of being caught by Absalom. That's Mephibosheth! Anyone can say things, but don't just listen to what people say; look at what they do. When David dealt with Mephibosheth, he said: Don't mention your matters anymore; you and Ziba each take half.

Handling Barzillai

Although Barzillai was over eighty years old, he was very capable and a wealthy man. When David fell, he risked being beheaded and having his family exterminated to help David; he really helped! So David was very grateful. At that time, no one knew how long Absalom would rule Israel. Were there informants for Absalom in his house? Certainly! Even in our generation, children report their fathers; to survive, they will do anything. As for what Barzillai was thinking, I guess he was absolutely loyal. So sometimes I think: It would be good to pretend to fall and see how everyone reacts.

And the king said to Barzillai, “Come over with me, and I will provide for you in Jerusalem.” But Barzillai said to the king, “How long have I to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? I am today eighty years old. Can I discern between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear any longer the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be a further burden to my lord the king? Your servant will go a little way across the Jordan with the king. And why should the king repay me with such a reward? Please let your servant turn back again, that I may die in my own city, near the grave of my father and mother. But here is your servant Chimham; let him cross over with my lord the king, and do for him what seems good to you.” (2 Samuel 19:33-37)

Having someone in the court makes it easier to be an official. Later, Chimham went to Jerusalem. It would have been good to arrange a position as a minister or deputy prime minister. However, Barzillai did not go. These people are wise, and we need this wisdom. If we lack loyalty, that will be revealed in our bones: focusing on small gains and forgetting greater righteousness. Barzillai arranged for his son to be by David's side, and it was possible to attain a first, second, or third-rank position! Because in any dynasty, to win the hearts of the people, David needed to do this.

The Foolishness of the Israelites and Judahites

Now indeed all the men of Israel came to the king and said to the king, “Why have our brethren, the men of Judah, stolen you away and brought the king, his household, and all David’s men across the Jordan?” Then all the men of Judah answered the men of Israel, “Because the king is a close relative of ours. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we ever eaten at the king’s expense? Or has he given us any gift?” And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, “We have ten shares in the king; therefore we also have more right to David than you. Why then did you despise us? Was it not our advice that you should bring back our king?” Yet the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel. (2 Samuel 19:41-43)

Is it better to be fierce or not? As a result, the two major tribes quarreled: why this, why that, and so on. What's the point of talking about these things? It's useless! They were just unhappy and wanted to find fault. What was there to discuss? If they came, they came; if they didn't, they didn't. The Judahites were argumentative, but there was nothing to argue about; this foolishness was fully displayed in people.

Some of our work team leaders, when serving the students below, immediately get into arguments with them; that is foolish! If the Judahites had said to the Israelites: How did this get missed? That would have been the end of it! As a result, the Israelites rioted, and there were also rebels among them.

Summary

David, through his wisdom, won the hearts of the Israelites and defused a political crisis. If we continue to the next chapter, rebellion still occurred. Even though David handled it this way, rebellion still occurred, but if it had not been handled this way, uprisings would have broken out all over the country. Do you have some wisdom now? Can you at least understand what David was doing now? We should all emulate and learn from David, and we will understand David's heart better.

May God bless you all!