A Clear Conscience
1 Samuel 24:8–21
8 David came out and shouted after him, “My lord the king!” And when Saul looked around, David bowed low before him.
9 Then he shouted to Saul, “Why do you listen to the people who say I am trying to harm you? 10 This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm the king—he is the Lord’s anointed one.’ 11 Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me.
12 “May the Lord judge between us. Perhaps the Lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you. 13 As that old proverb says, ‘From evil people come evil deeds.’ So you can be sure I will never harm you. 14 Who is the king of Israel trying to catch anyway? Should he spend his time chasing one who is as worthless as a dead dog or a single flea? 15 May the Lord therefore judge which of us is right and punish the guilty one. He is my advocate, and he will rescue me from your power!”
16 When David had finished speaking, Saul called back, “Is that really you, my son David?” Then he began to cry. 17 And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil. 18 Yes, you have been amazingly kind to me today, for when the Lord put me in a place where you could have killed me, you didn’t do it. 19 Who else would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the Lord reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today. 20 And now I realize that you are surely going to be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will flourish under your rule. 21 Now swear to me by the Lord that when that happens you will not kill my family and destroy my line of descendants!”
David told Saul the whole unvarnished truth; he told it to the person to whom it mattered most. Not to his comrades or to Saul’s friends or to the people of Israel but to Saul himself. He came to terms with the individual with whom there was the battle. Then he said, “May the LORD judge between you and me, and may the LORD avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you” (1 Samuel 24:12).
David wasn’t dangling his righteousness before Saul. David wasn’t built like that. He was a man of integrity. He said, “Saul, I could have taken your life, but I didn’t. And here’s the proof. When you were vulnerable, I didn’t strike. I will let God judge between you and me.”
Read Saul’s response slowly and thoughtfully:
Saul called back, “Is it really you, my son David?” Then he began to cry. And he said to David, “You are a better man than I am, for you have repaid me good for evil. Yes, you have been wonderfully kind to me today, for when the Lord delivered me into your hand, you didn’t kill me. Who else in all the world would let his enemy get away when he had him in his power? May the Lord reward you well for the kindness you have shown me today.” (1 Samuel 24:16–19 TLB)
Talk about a living example of the proverb, “When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him” [16:7].
Now wait a minute. Let’s revisit reality. This is one case study. I wish I could promise you that when you do what is right, your enemy will always see the error of his ways this quickly and turn and repent and view you correctly, but I can’t make that kind of promise.
You’re responsible for telling a person the truth, but it is impossible to make him change his opinion. Frankly, that person may die believing the lie. But down inside your heart you will know the fulfillment of that sense of righteous dealings. Your conscience will be clear.
Speak the truth in love and have a clear conscience, no matter how others respond.
— Charles R. Swindoll
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