David retorted to Michal, “I was dancing before the Lord, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the Lord, so I celebrate before the Lord. Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes!” – 2 Samuel 6:21-22
David is easily one of my favorite bible characters, and this passage of scripture is in my fave 5 for sure. Maybe it’s because I am a worshiper at heart, because I love dancing, or possibly because I love David; but whatever the reason, I get a new fire stirred up inside me each time I read or hear about this particular story. Normally, when I read it, I’m left wondering “Why aren’t more people dancing out of their clothes before the Lord?!” When I recently read it, however, the last sentence stood out more than usual and I was left with a different question.
Lately, I’ve been forced to realize that everyone isn’t made like David (bummer). Even more of a shocker was the realization that (wait for it) … everyone isn’t made like ME! But, the good news about the Good News is that God made it for everyone’s benefit. Not just people who like to dance like David, or who are as bold and radical as Paul, or who have been asked to build a massive boat to save their family from a deadly flood like Noah — but if you HAVE been asked to build a boat or something like that, feel free to let a sista know. I’m totally down to contribute a couple screws, bolts, or 2×4’s … just sayin’! Back to the matter at hand, when it comes to David in this case, he so cleverly adds “even to be humiliated in my OWN eyes” to make this scripture apply to everyone.
God created us all uniquely. He knows that some of us are outgooing daredevils and some of us get embarassed from watching others do crazy things. He knows what makes your heart race as well as that one thing that you could NEVER EVER do; however, praise is a personal act between you and God. David emphasizes that He praised before the Lord, only. Sure, there is a city full of people around, all with their eyes on David, the king; but David’s worship is for an audience of one – the Lord who chose him above Saul and all of Saul’s family. David knew and acknowledged what God had done for him, and that alone was enough for him to behave in a manner that would embarass him.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR YOU?
Is it safe to say that it’s enough to be a little humiliated for? Maybe humiliation for you means running around a room. Maybe it means singing out loud. It could mean fighting every voice that is telling you to be a “good girl” or “good boy ” and pushing through to raise your hands in adoration when everyone else is merely sitting still. I don’t know what humiliation looks like for you, and thankfully I don’t need to know. The purpose of this scripture is not to have everyone running around the streets naked like David, and the purpose of this blog is not to have everyone shouting in church like me. For a long time, I wished everyone’s praise were a radical praise, but now I say “who cares??” My praise is personal! I dance like nobody is watching, and I am willing to look even more foolish than I ever have before, even to be humiliated in my own eyes!
The question is, are you?
