2 Samuel 12:1-15
Nathan said to David,
"You are the man!"

When I first looked at this morning’s suggested Bible reading, from the Year of the Bible, participant book, I thought this was not an appropriate passage for Mother’s Day. My first inclination was to look for a different passage of scripture yet knowing that so many of you are participating in the Year of the Bible study, I didn’t want to do that. So I gave this text a second look and decided I would stick with.

As I wrestled with this passage of scripture, I wondered if I hadn’t made a mistake. I questioned whether I was trying to fit a round peg into a square hole. Then it came to me, I saw how this verse fit Mother’s Day. The answer is found in this question,

"What is one of the most important things a mother can impart to her child?"

I arrived at my answer by reflecting on my relationship with my Mom. The first thing she gave me, if you can call it a thing, was unconditional love. The second thing she gave me was a set of morals. She taught me right from wrong.

There is the connection between this mornings scripture and Motherhood. Unconditional love and teaching morals.

"Nathan said to David,
"You are the man!"

The prophet, Nathan, is playing the role of a mother in this story. He has become aware that David has done something wrong. In case you have forgotten, King David, who was very wealthy and who had several wives, fell in love with his neighbor’s only wife, got her pregnant, and then got his neighbor killed in battle.

Nathan did not witness this sin of David. He was told by a little birdie, by the name of God, about David’s escapades, and was given the task of confronting David. This is something every responsible Mother/parent has to do.

The question for Nathan was, how do you confront David, without putting him on the defensive and without him denying what he has done?

Nathan used a story, a fable, similiar to Aesop’s Fable, which is a story with a moral.

The story is about 2 men. One is rich and the other poor. The rich man, as you would expect, had a great deal of wealth and a large number of flocks and herds. The poor man had very little money and only one lamb. This lamb was the family pet.

One day the rich man had a visitor. Wanting to treat the visitor to a wonderful meal he ordered his servant to fetch a lamb and prepare it for supper. The lamb the servant is told to get is not one from his many flocks, BUT the poor man’s lamb.

David reacted to the injustice in this story, with anger. He was so angry David said, "As the Lord lives the man who has done this deserves to die." That’s when Nathan dropped the gauntlet on David saying,

"You are the Man!"

It is interesting how outraged David got about the rich man in Nathan’s story, while at the same time David had become so insensitive to his own sin. He didn’t realize he was the villain until Nathan said,

"You are the man."

The qualities we condemn in others are often our own character flaws. Which means, like David, when we condemn others, we are condemning ourselves.

Mom, or I should say, Nathan didn’t have to say another thing. David knew what he had done, he had just passed judgment on himself.

Nathan went on to remind David, of how great God’s love is for Him. Nathan reminded David how God had anointed him King, rescued him from the hand of Saul, given him house, spouse and nation. Yet inspite of everything God had done, Nathan asks,

"Why have you despised the Word of the Lord, to do what was evil in His sight?"

Can’t you hear a Mother’s voice here, as she recounts everything she has done for her child and then asks the child, "Why would you do such a thing?"

Being a Mother/parent is very much like being a prophet. At times you are required to confront sin, as Nathan had to confront King David. When you have to confront someone, particularly your child it takes courage, skill, and tact. It would be easier to close your eyes, but love doesn’t do that. Love sets boundaries. Love says No. How you present your message IS as important as what you say.

Every Mom has at one time or another, in frustration asked God, "Why did you give me this child?"

God has entrusted us with his son or daughter for two reason?

The first reason is for you to love them as God would love them and to raise them up knowing right from wrong.

The second reason, is to raise Mom and Dad up, to make you grow and change.

As I reflected on this story I saw a different twist to what Nathan said to David,

"You are the man!"

A twist which challenges Moms, Dads, Christians, to realize, IF our children are going to know the unconditional love of God and, IF our children are going to know right from wrong.

You Are The Man,
You are the Woman

who has to teach it to them, by your words and actions

Amen

Reverend Richard Hayes Weyer

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