When Its Best to Steer Clear

Abuse of any kind is painful, and it is never God’s Will for us to be subjected to it. If we will pray and seek His guidance, He will help us steer clear.

2 Samuel 11:2-4(NLT)
² Late one afternoon, after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of the palace. As he looked out over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. ³ He sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” ⁴ Then David sent messengers to get her; and when she came to the palace, he slept with her. She had just completed the purification rites after having her menstrual period. Then she returned home.

As Christian women, we should live by a code of honor – a code that your body is meant for marriage and should only be shared with your husband, as God meant for it to be. This code is a symbol of our commitment to Godliness. Of course, there are many Christian women that have not and probably will not live by such a code, and it’s certainly their free-will choice. Nonetheless, sex outside of marriage is ungodly and not pleasing to our Heavenly Father. When I hear of women that are in dating relationships with men who pressure them for sex and resort to abuse if they don’t give in, it’s a reminder of this passage in 2 Samuel 11.

The Word of God doesn’t say that Bathsheba was pressured or abused, but it is certainly implied that someone as powerful as King David might not have taken kindly to her saying ‘no’. Her beauty might have offered perks that other women may not have enjoyed, but during this time in biblical history, women were not treated as equals; far from it. When David saw her, he wanted what he wanted, and he knew she was someone’s wife.

Scripture tells us that Bathsheba found out she was pregnant, and King David panicked. So much so that he had her husband Uriah killed on the front lines of battle, and Bathsheba later became one of King David’s wives.  

God was not pleased with King David’s actions, and there is no hiding that David abused his power against Uriah and his wife, Bathsheba. As women living today, we’d be kidding ourselves if we didn’t admit there are men who have mindsets and attitude’s very similar to King David’s. Therefore, we must be very wise about the choices we make. Having an allegiance to God through the Lord Jesus Christ gives us a deeply rooted confidence that Bathsheba might not have had. We must wear this confidence like a second skin and represent Christ in our appearance and actions.

One of the questions that is always in the back of my mind is “Would God be pleased?” Answering this question honestly can help to keep us on a safe and prosperous path. Steering clear of men that God has not stamped with His approval can keep us out of compromising situations. Remember, Bathsheba may not have been able to take a stand for righteousness, but as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, you and I definitely should. If we pray and ask God for guidance in this area, He will let us know when it is best to steer clear.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.