Bummer of a Birthmark

641 - Today's Prime Time Devo comes from 2Sa 20:20-22, “And Joab answered and said, "Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy! 21 "That is not so. But a man from the mountains of Ephraim, Sheba the son of Bichri by name, has raised his hand against the king, against David. Deliver him only, and I will depart from the city." So the woman said to Joab, "Watch, his head will be thrown to you over the wall." 22 Then the woman in her wisdom went to all the people. And they cut off the head of Sheba the son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. Then he blew a trumpet, and they withdrew from the city, every man to his tent. So Joab returned to the king at Jerusalem. (2 Sam 20:20-22) Joab defends his actions against the city of Abel. He has no interest in obliterating the city and its' citizens. His only interest is in capturing the leader of the rebellion. This of course is an age old tactic of neutralizing any kind of political or religious movement. Remove the leader...win the war. It was the tactic that the Sanhedrin used to try and squelch Jesus and His followers. In Joh 11:47-50 we read, “Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, "What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. 48 "If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation." 49 And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all, 50 "nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish." Yes, it is an age old tactic, that backfired on the Sanhedrin because they were not dealing with an ordinary man. They were dealing with the Son of God! There was a “Far Side” cartoon many years ago that depicted two deer chatting with one another. One of the deer had the outline of a shooting target on his chest. The other deer says to him, “Bummer of a birthmark Hal.” Well that's the way it is with your spiritual leaders. They are marked men and women. Targeted by the devil because he too knows that causing a spiritual leader to fall, morally, physically, or mentally, through burnout, depression, etc, can make a huge impact in his war against the kingdom of God. Pray for your spiritual leaders.