Knowing a Man's Heart

Scripture: So Abimelech rose early in the morning and called all his servants and told them all these things. And the men were very much afraid. Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me things that ought not to be done.” And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What did you see, that you did this thing?” Abraham said, “I did it because I thought, ‘There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’ Genesis 20:8-11

Observation: Abimelech took Sarah as his wife, but God revealed to him in a dream that this was a sin and he must return her. In addition, God revealed that he himself had prevented Abimelech from sleeping with Sarah. Abimelech immediately responds, all his men being afraid of God, and returning Sarah to Abraham.

Yet Abraham says he told that Sarah was his sister because he thought Abimelech had no fear of God - that he had no faith in God - and thus that they would gladly sin and murder him. It appears quite the opposite is true: Abimelech acknowledges God, knows it is God who speaks to him in his dream, knows that what he had done was a sin, pleads for his life, and upon telling his men they are immediately afraid of God as well. It turns out, they seem very much to fear the Lord. Abraham has misjudged Abimelech's faith.

Application: It seems to me that Abraham misjudged Abimelech because he chose to judge Abimelech based on his own standard. Abraham has such a strong relationship with God that no one could match that level of faith, and thus everyone who falls short must be godless. Abraham doesn't understand lesser levels of relationship with God.

I mess this up both directions. I see those with less faith than me as lacking, and I see those with greater faith then me as having a unique circumstance ... perhaps they are too zealous, or at least they have more time on their hands. If I really think that, then only I have the "right" level of faith. That, of course, is completely foolish.

As I am about to meet hundreds of new people and learn how to interact with them on a daily basis, I need to be sensitive to the types of faith I will find. Just because I fear it may be a "land" without fear of God, that doesn't mean that is what I will discover. Nor does it mean that people who aren't exactly like me are the only ones who will have faith. I need to look for brothers and sisters who have faith - maybe expressed differently - as those I can connect with as I go forward.

Prayer: Lord, I do hope that I will find other men of God in my new job. Allow me to enter that place with fresh eyes - to not assume that it will be a desolate and sinful place, but rather to keep a fair perspective. Amen.