The Reward of More Stuff
“But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor. Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart. Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the Lord hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand. For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike. And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day” (1 Samuel 30:10; 22-25).
It is intriguing to note those that went into battle and those involved in keeping the stuff received the same rewards. It humors me that “staying by the stuff” reaped the return of more stuff. “Stuff” may very well be what ministry is made up of. Add to that, people coming to God have a lot of life’s baggage that they have to deal with and sometimes offload some things to upload some others.
James Poitras 