David then said to Abishai and all his officials, “My son, my own flesh and blood, is trying to kill me. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone; let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. It may be that the Lord will look upon my misery and restore to me his covenant blessing instead of his curse today.”

2 Samuel 16:11-12

In the midst of fleeing away from Absalom's treason, verses 5–14 show us a positive side of David’s character. He is confronted by Shimei, a disturbed Saul supporter, who continually rants at and curses David. Then Abishai, one of David's generals, said to David, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head" (9). He wanted Shimei to be summarily executed but David refuses. He knows that curses are only meaningful if they are backed by God. He trusts God to work out his purposes and won’t even presume that the ranting Shimei was not being used by God. David’s knowledge of God always seems stronger than his knowledge of what God required from him as king! He was truly a man after God's own heart (Ac 13:22). David could do that because he trusted in the covenant blessing of the Lord (12).

CLOSING PRAYER : Father, forgive me when I judge others unfairly. Help me to see through the lenses of your eyes, to extend the grace and mercy you have shown me.

(Edited from Encounter with God)