A FOOL OUT OF HIS PLACE

“And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Build thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither. For it shall be, that on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head.” (1Kings 2:36-37 KJV)

The mercy shown to Shimei, first by David who was spitefully cursed by Shimei, and then by Solomon whom David warned about Shimei, was ignored and forgotten by this man who seemingly escaped death twice. Rather than executing him as David suggested to Solomon, the king allows him to build a house and live in Jerusalem with only one stipulation, he is never to leave Jerusalem or cross the Kidron valley. Seems like a good deal to me. No prison sentence. No execution. You can live with your family. Just stay in your place and live in peace.

But the Bible tells us he thought more of the loss of two servants than he did his life and agreement with the king. He left his place, went to Gath, and returned with servants in hand only to find the displeasure and wrath of Solomon. Obviously, he should have stayed in his place and given up the loss of two servants, but too many times our pride does our thinking for us. It is shallow and selfish thinking.

Just like Shimei, we are shown mercy, start living "high on the hog," and either neglect or forget the mercies that are given to us. We start believing the substance we acquire to be the blessing of God and forget the obligation we have to His mercy.

Later, Solomon would write: “He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby.” (Ecclesiastes 10:8-9 KJV)

Such is the way of a fool out of his place.