(2nd Sam 9:7 NLT) "Don't be afraid!" David said. "I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king's table!"
We have been dealing with Mephibosheth for a while now and yesterday I focused in on the fact that Mephibosheth's self esteem was low. It is understandable why it was low, but it was low nonetheless and his low opinion of himself was evident when he referred to himself as a "dead dog." So what was king David's answer for Mephibosheth's low self-esteem? Eating at the king's table Wow!
Now, you may be thinking, "Wait a minute David did two things: give him the property and offer him a seat at the king's table. The property would have done it for me." You might think that, but the reality is that money is an amplifier. Money does not change who you are, it just allows you to do more of what you are already doing. So if I give a drunk a large sum of money, he will drink more. If I give a womanizer a fortune, he will run more women. If I give a philanthropist, whose heart is in his giving, even more money, he will give more. Giving Mephibosheth the money was great, but his self-esteem still needed to be changed. He needed to see himself as he once did, as royalty.
So now you may be thinking: how would eating at the king's table help? I'm glad you asked. First of all, eating at the king's table would cover Mephibosheth's weakness. Mephibosheth's greatest issue was his crippled feet. Although David was not anointed to heal him, he did the next best thing: he covered his weakness by having Mephibosheth to sit at the king's table.
You may be asking why is this so important and life transforming well here is why. Dignitaries that were fortunate enough to eat with the king would never know that Mephibosheth had a weakness, because the King's table covered it. David was taking Mephibosheth's troubled past and putting it behind him. While Mephibosheth was at the table he could hold conversations with other heads-of-state as an equal. Once he felt comfortable operating as an "equal" with royalty and dignitaries he would no longer feel sorry for himself.
David changed Mephibosheth's financial balance sheet when he gave him the land. Mephibosheth became a millionaire overnight. David changed Mephibosheth's level of responsibility when he gave him the servants (36 in all). These servants would assist him in any way he required assistance and it allowed him to exercise the leadership and rule he was born to yield. Just a few days prior Mephibosheth was hating life in Lo-Debar, but seemingly overnight he inherited an estate with an army servants to help him. Changing his financial situation was great, and changing his responsibility was smart, but David changed Mephibosheth's life when he covered his weakness and placed him in a position of honor.
Once Mephibosheth saw himself as royalty (again) his life was changed forever.
So what does this mean to you ? It means that the greatest change the Father can effectuate in your life is from the inside-out. Changing your financial balance sheet is great, because money is required in this world to accomplish most things. Changing your level of responsibility is important, because we must all prove ourselves faithful over one level, so that the Father can promote us to the next. But the greatest change is an inside job. If you allow the Father to do it, He can work with You, through His Word and His Spirit, to change you from the inside-out. Once you are changed internally and you see yourself the way He sees you, your life will never be the same!
Father, I thank You for covering my weaknesses and keeping me from public exposure long enough for true change and deliverance to take place. I know that I cannot grow without changing and since I want to grow, I welcome the change. External change is good, but internal change is better. Therefore I commit to the process of mind-renewal. I cooperate with You as You seek to expose me to environments that will stretch me into the person You desire for me to be. Day-by-day I will incrementally change into the image of Your Son Jesus. Little-by-little I am learning how to see myself the way You see me and as I do, I realize that nothing is impossible for me, because I am a believer! In Jesus' name. Amen!
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