Then he said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and all Israel had set their expectations on me, that I should reign. However, the kingdom has been turned over, and has become my brother’s; for it was his from the Lord.” – 1 Kings 2:15

It’s a fact.  The situations of life often become something quite different than they were imagined.  If you can remember when you were still a child, you may be able to remember some of the dreams and ambitions you had for the future.  Reality can often be a rude awakening.  When Mandi, our youngest daughter was a small child she would often appraise the circumstances surrounding her and would cry, “It’s not fair!”  I would then comfort her with fatherly love with the words, “Life is not always fair.  Get used to it.” 

She was not alone in her assessment.  People from every status of life had struggled with the disappointment and lack of what is perceived to be fair.  Even King David’s family struggled with it.

Adonijah thought he would be king in Israel.  He was actually the fourth son, and thus not the first in line for the throne.  Still, his selfish ambition was not limited.  He saw the disruption in his family.  He knew about the treachery of Amnon and Absalom.  It may be that Kileab was already dead as well, as he is not mentioned again.  So, it would seem that Adonijah had a clear path to the throne. 

As David’s age and feeble status left him diminished in his ability to effectively reign, his ambitious son found some supporters and seized the throne.  At the same time that Adonijah was in the midst of his celebration, others were working to put the God ordained ascension of Solomon into place.  Of course, Solomon’s kingship was going to be.  In the ensuing events, the ambitious brother claimed submission to his younger brother, and life appeared to gain a sense of order and normalcy. 

Appearance can hide some dangerous contention. Between Adonijah and Solomon, there was still an underlying tension.  Ultimately, a young woman, Abishag, who had been close to David, became a game piece in a power play.  The life of Adonijah was not what he would have wanted, imagined, or believed he deserved.  In essence, he told the king’s mother that things were not the way they were supposed to be.  He pulled Bathsheba into his plan, but Adonijah’s move did not fool his brother. So, his sense of life being unfair, and his lack of acceptance simply brought the frustrated man a death sentence.

It may be that when we look at where life has brought each of us, we may find that it is not what we previously wanted, imagined, or even believed we deserve.  Still, we are where we are.  While there is nothing wrong with working for better situations, we still need to be aware of all our circumstances.  Kicking against our surroundings will typically only make our feet hurt and cause us more problems.

Okay, so things are not the way we think they ought to be.  We can look for change, and maybe even work in that direction.  At the same time, if we are wise, we will also accept where we are, and live our best where we are.

Russell L. Dyer – Written: December 6, 2020 — Posted: 3/24/2024