When Grief Strikes

483 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from: 2Sa 10:1,2 “It happened after this that the king of the people of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his place. 2 Then David said, "I will show kindness to Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father showed kindness to me." So David sent by the hand of his servants to comfort him concerning his father. And David's servants came into the land of the people of Ammon.” ( 2 Sam 10:1,2) It is not specified in the Bible as to what this act of kindness toward David was. We can only assume it was something done to him when Saul was chasing David. So David decides to repay that kindness by sending an envoy to comfort Hanun in the passing of his father. The word “comfort” here is interesting. It means to sigh. I think we could learn from that as we seek to comfort those who mourn. So often, well meaning people grasp for words to say to those who are grieving, and quite frankly, we wind up putting our foot in our mouth. Instead of consoling the person suffering the loss, we inadvertently wind up wounding them. There are no words in a sigh, but a sigh sends a strong signal of compassion. There is no judgment in a sigh, no condemnation, no advice, just a wordless pronouncement that I am here, I care, and I have no answers. In sending emissaries to Ammon, David was sending a message that he appreciated the kindness that Nahash had shown him. He was telling his son (Hanun) that his father would be remembered by David as a kind man. What a sweet statement to make at the passing of someone else's loved one. To let a grieving person know that your life was touched by the kindness of the deceased, goes a long way, especially when it is followed up with a sigh. Father, help us to be kind people. Let us leave a legacy of kindness, and help us to do a better job of comforting others. In Jesus name, Amen