And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am? — 2 Samuel 9:8
I have often laughed at a statement attributed to Theodore Roosevelt. He was our 26th President and has been credited with saying, “If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn’t sit for a month.” It always makes me chuckle when I read it or hear it, yet it is so true.
There are many times in life that I have found that the most challenging person for me to deal with is me. I often push myself beyond the limits of what many people say I should. I am a perfectionist and always want to do my best. I am quick to note my faults and failures and grow frustrated with them.
Maybe that’s how Mephibosheth felt here in 2 Samuel. Mephibosheth had an interesting life. He experienced physical deformity, personal misfortune, and no doubt dealt with the frustrations and disappointments in life. He was so focused on his shortcomings and failures that he failed to see what David was doing.
While Mephibosheth saw himself as hopeless, David saw him as worthy. Not just of life, but of being treated as royalty. It wasn’t about his deformity, misfortunes, or anything else. Beyond that, David knew there was something about Mephibosheth that was worthwhile.
Maybe you find yourself like Mephibosheth. Maybe you don’t see yourself as perfect and are focused on your failures and are frustrated. Instead of focusing on those things, focus on the God who sees you as worthy! He sees something important in you and has a purpose for you. Don’t let your ideas of perfection get in the way.
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