In 2 Samuel 23:14-17, we read a lovely account of three unnamed soldiers of David who, upon hearing him breathe a desire for water from the well of Bethlehem, broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew the water, and brought it to David. They had no obligation to do so. No one would have even dreamed that anyone would attempt it. But as far as they were concerned, David’s wish really was their command. We don’t even know their names, for they didn’t do it to have everyone know their names; it was enough for them that David knew their names. They did it for love.
How did David respond? “Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord” (2 Sam 23:16). A Judas would have objected at this point that David was wasting the water. But this was no waste. David knew the danger these men braved in order to bring him the smallest pleasure, and he considered that they didn’t bring back water; they brought back blood. So he poured it out to the only One who is worthy of such devotion.
This brings us to David’s greater Son. It should come as no surprise that when the New Testament speaks of our relationship with Christ, love is key. Any threat to that love is to be dealt with. Paul writes to the church at Corinth, “For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. But I am afraid, lest as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2-3). In these verses, we’re told of the battle plan of a far greater enemy than the Philistines.
The goal. The devil’s objective is to distract us from devotion to Christ. Note the malice. Winning our hearts for himself isn’t his aim. All that really matters to him is that Christ not have our hearts.
The strategy. He is crafty. Rather than a frontal assault, he seeks to deceive us so that we are subtly and gradually drawn away from Christ.
The danger. The peril that he will succeed in distracting our hearts from Christ is real. Paul said, “I am afraid.”
The danger is just as significant today. It is all too easy for us to be distracted and end up devoted merely to the same things as unbelievers: jobs, houses, hobbies, sports, diets, and entertainment. Some of these deserve a measure of devotion, of course; but when they become our primary concern, we’ve been led astray.
However there is a more subtle peril. There is the danger of being so taken up with Christian service that devotion to the Lord Himself suffers. This is the same craftiness that the devil employed in deceiving Eve. This is Paul’s fear.
It can happen with churches, too. How easy it is for a church to be busy with commendable service yet be distracted from Christ! It happens gradually. Christ-centered ministry is down-played in favor of “practical” ministry. The breaking of bread loses prominence as people focus more on receiving than on being occupied with Christ. Activity abounds while love for Christ wanes.
What would you do for love? Perhaps that is best answered by asking, what would He do for love? We know the answer: “He…loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20b).