Have you ever heard the expression ”God has given us two ears and one mouth”? The message is clear: we have a tendency to not listen well, or perhaps in the right way. In fact, today’s reading invites us to realize that it’s a sign of intelligence if we accept other people’s comments, and if we’re willing to be taught.

We can all think of someone in a position of authority who made a bad decision with disastrous results.

That is David in our text today. David asks some of his leaders to count the people of Israel. It takes 9 months and twenty days. You have to honour the commitment of David’s followers and his leadership in persuading them to do something they did not see any value in doing.

Few people actually go out of their way to deliberately hurt others. That probably cannot be said of liars or gossipers or people who bear false witness. But, most people mean well, and want to do what is best for themselves and for others. The problem is, even good people can do harm. We can make a bad decision or say the wrong thing or say the right thing in the wrong way, or ignore someone who reaches out to us and we don’t see them, or we fail to give a word of encouragement because at that moment we are too self-centered.

Paul talks about how the kingdom comes when he says that some plant, some water and some harvest, but God makes it grow (1 Corinthians 3:6). In the economy of God it takes more than one person to accomplish his plans and purposes. Sometimes the plans of God are simultaneous and all of us work at the same time. Sometimes they are sequential and can even be separated by a generation or more.

In the end, the glory is always and only God’s. But the Bible is clear that honour is appropriate and right among his people. David introduces his son Solomon to the people and lets them know that God has chosen him to build a temple of worship in Jerusalem. There is not one iota of jealousy in David but a recognition that God calls each of us to our own task and we should serve God well in our calling but give honour to those whose call is different and perhaps even greater in some ways than ours.

Don’t you love to meet someone who is generous? They never count the cost but simply give out of their abundance – or out of their need or lack – so others can prosper. There is something godly about a heart of generosity. It is the plan of the kingdom of God. It is how God gets his work done on the earth. The early church was encouraged to come individually and give generously. They were all encouraged to participate. This is a call that is both individual and corporate.

I’ve found it sure feels good when the hurting stops. You have been caught in a cycle of sickness, poor health, maybe even injury and then notice the healing start. Or the employment situation has been less than ideal and then it begins to turn around and you regain your sense of hope for the future. Or a relationship has come undone or become stagnant or maybe somebody close to you has let you down by not living up to your expectations for them, but then things start to change there as well. David knew all of these emotions.