Redemption of a Family Name: Daddy's Girl

I Samuel 18:17-21, 27b; II Samuel 6:16, 20–23

Fathers are so important in the emotional and spiritual development of their children. Over and over, for good or bad, we have seen children grow up to be like their parents. Very rarely will a child grow up to have good moral character when it is not modeled for them by at least one parent. It is also true that a child will seldom have a proper view of God if it is not lived out in the lives of their parents. We should never underestimate the influence we have on others by the example we live out before them.

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Then Saul said to David, “Here is my older daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife. Only be valiant for me, and fight the LORD’s battles.” For Saul thought, “Let my hand not be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.”  So David said to Saul, “Who am I, and what is my life or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” But it happened at the time when Merab, Saul’s daughter, should have been given to David, that she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife. Now Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. So Saul said, “I will give her to him, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall be my son-in-law today.”

...Then Saul gave him Michal his daughter as a wife.

I Samuel 18:17-21, 27b

Now as the ark of the LORD came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.  Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”  So David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the LORD.  And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor.” Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

II Samuel 6:16, 20–23

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If you are familiar with the life of Saul, he was not a man of integrity. He felt like he should be able to do what he wanted to do, when he wanted to do it. He was a coward who tried to use his authority to stamp out anyone who might present a challenge to his authority. While he was religious, he did not reverence God. Much of this showed up in the life of his daughter Michal as well. She was her daddy's girl.

Saul promised David his oldest daughter if he defeated Goliath. Saul was fine with this until David received more praise for the victory than Saul did. In his first act of jealousy, Saul gave his daughter to another man. However, Saul learned that Michal had a crush on David. So, he thought that he could use this to have David killed in an impossible task. David completed the task though, and so he married Saul's daughter.

Michal had no problem lying. In I Samuel 19, verses 10-17, we read the story of Saul trying to kill David again. This time, after throwing a javelin at him, Saul sends soldiers to wait outside his home until he leaves. They were then to kill him. David learned they were out there and Michal helped him escape through the window. When he did not come out the soldiers asked where he was. Michal had put a dummy in the bed and said that he was sick (lies 1&2). The soldiers told Saul, and Saul told them to go kill him in his bed. When the soldiers got back, they found the dummy. They reported this to Saul. When he asked Michal why she had lied to him, she said that David had threatened to kill her if she did not help him (lie 3). She got her dishonesty from her dad.

In II Samuel 6, we read of the ark of God being brought to Jerusalem. There is a parade as it is brought in, and David dances in worship to God. Apparently this involved him running around shirtless as well. Michal saw this and was embarrassed by his actions and jealous that other women could see her husband this way. She basically called him a fool and said that the young women would be looking at his body. She also got her jealousy, pride, and lack of reverence for the worship of God from her dad.

People watch our actions much more than they listen to our words. If they see a contradiction between what we say and what we do, they will not listen to us at all. However, if we are genuine, not perfect but genuine, they will listen to what we say. As Christians, we should strive for perfection, but also be humble enough that when we sin, we repent and reconcile. The world will see our actions as being congruent with our words, and they will respect that.

Father, teach us to be genuine. May we live the life you have called us to live. As others watch us, may they see the difference that Christ makes in us. Most of all, we pray that You are glorified through our lives, and that the lost world sees You in us.