Don't Be Crippled by the Fall of Others

By Marcia Kinslow
Guest Writer

CBN.com – In 2 Samuel 4:4 (NIV), we read the following story:

“Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became crippled. His name was Mephibosheth.”

When the news came to the nurse that Jonathan and King Saul were overtaken and killed, great fear rose up in up in her. Fear can be demoralizing and paralyzing in many ways. In her heart, this nurse no doubt wondered, if they killed the King and his son, would they come looking for his heirs? She picked Mephibosheth up to flee for their lives, and like most little five-year-olds, his legs were not equipped to move as fast as an adult.

In her haste while running, he fell -- due to her fear. He became crippled and lame in his feet at that very moment. Looking back, had the nurse called on God in her moment of crisis and received His peace, knowing that He was watching over her, Mephibosheth may not have become crippled. Praise the Lord that today we can know Him and call on Him!

Perhaps there is some situation in your life that’s making you feel crippled at this moment. Or maybe someone -- a friend, co-worker or family member -- is holding you back or hindering your ability to move forward. You may even be surrounded by people who have fallen prey to drugs, alcohol or other addictions – and it’s threatening to pull you down, too.

You can probably name many ways that people fall. But has it caused your walk with the Lord to become crippled? Has it caused you to feel inadequate or not worthy of fulfilling the call and plan of God for your life? Has the fall of others caused you distress or even depression?

The Lord does not want us to be crippled by the fall of others, or by a personal fall in your own life. Don’t let others’ misfortune, lifestyle changes, addictions and problems cause you to become crippled -- or to even fall yourself!

In 2 Samuel 4:4 we see how Mephibosheth had fallen. In 2 Samuel 9:1 we learn David inquires if there is still anyone left alive from the house of Saul, to show kindness in Jonathan’s honor. David remembered the covenant that Jonathan made with him in 1 Samuel 18: 1-4. Although, his father the king had issues with David, Jonathan’s soul was knit to David. So David wanted to be faithful to that covenant because of his love for Jonathan.

The story continues and Ziba, who was a servant of the house of Saul, tells King David of Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth. David sends for Mephibosheth and restores to him the land of his grandfather King Saul and invites him to eat at the king’s table. What an honor and a privilege! For Mephibosheth, this is an open invitation for him to live as if he is an heir.

When David invited Mephibosheth to eat at his table we see the picture of coming to the Lord’s Table. The LORD gives us an open invitation to His table to dine with HIM. Although we don’t always feel worthy, when we confess our faults, the Lord is always so willing to forgive and to forget. He wants to restore our connection to him, no matter what’s happened in the past.

Let us not be crippled by the fall and failure of others. And let us not look back at our own failures as if they have not been forgiven. Come to the King’s table and know that in HIS presence, we are not handicapped or crippled -- we are HIS! We are the King’s family.

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