Do you help others stay on course?

By Todd Barrier  

Most of us know the story of David and Bathsheeba. It’s a sordid tale that’s hard to forget!  

The part of the story we don’t always talk about is what happened afterward and what brought David back to God after sinning against him and covering it up.  

Nathan came to David in 2 Samuel 12 and told him a story that represented what David had done to Uriah, Bathsheeba’s husband. David was angry at the man who had done these things Nathan’s story described. In verse 7 Nathan tells David “You are the man,” letting him know his sins weren’t as secret as he’d thought.  

This forced David to realize he had to make things right. In verse 13 David admits his wrongdoing when he tells Nathan, “I have sinned against God.”  

Why did David need someone else to point his sin out to him?  

We often don’t see ourselves as the “bad guy” in any situation and convince ourselves our sins aren’t really sins. When this happens, we fall deeper and deeper into sin and further and further away from God.  

This is what was happening to David.  

He needed Nathan to bring him to his senses. Without Nathan, David might have never repented.  

In our life as Christians, we need each other, just like David needed Nathan. Our relationships have to be such that when we see a brother or sister going off course, it’s a given we are ready to right each other’s ships.  

The Bible teaches us to edify, to look out for and to love one another. We need friends like Nathan, and we need to be friends like Nathan, to help each other when we aren’t helping ourselves.  

Are you the kind of friend who will help others stay on course toward an eternity with God?