ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

 שגע The Madman 

Ko e Siana sesele

1 SAMUEL 21:13-15

[DAVID] CHANGED HIS BEHAVIOR BEFORE THEM AND PRETENDED TO BE INSANE IN THEIR HANDS AND MADE MARKS ON THE DOORS OF THE GATE AND LET HIS SPITTLE RUN DOWN HIS BEARD. THEN ACHISH SAID TO HIS SERVANTS, "BEHOLD, YOU SEE THE MAN IS MAD. WHY THEN HAVE YOU BROUGHT HIM TO ME? DO I LACK MADMEN, THAT YOU HAVE BROUGHT THIS FELLOW TO BEHAVE AS A MADMAN IN MY PRESENCE?"

1 SAMIUELA 21:13-15

13 pea ne liliu hono anga ‘i honau ‘ao, pea ‘i he‘enau puke ia na‘a ne tō‘onga kehe, ‘o ne kohikohi ki he tāpuni ‘o e matanikolo, pea ne tuku ke tafe hifo hono fāvai ki hono kava. 14 Pea me‘a ‘a ‘Ākisi ki he‘ene kau tamaio‘eiki, ‘Ā, ‘oku mou vakai ‘oku sesele ‘a e tangata: pea ko ho‘omou ‘omi ia kiate au koe‘uma‘ā? 15 He ‘oku ou masiva sesele, kuo mou ‘omi ai ‘a e siana ni ke fai ‘ene sesele kiate au? ‘E ‘ikai hū ‘a e siana ni ki hoku fale.

Discrediting someone by questioning their sanity is an age - old trick. Jeremiah's opponents slandered him as m'shugga ("raging" or "mad" [from shaga]) because he foretold the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem (29:26; cf. 2 Kings 9:11). In David's case, he pretended to be among the m'shug - ga'im ("madmen") to save his own skin-discrediting himself, as it were, to appear a nonthreat. God threatened true madness to Israel, however, should she forsake the covenant. So devastating would be her punishment that the nation would be m'shugga ("driven mad") by what they saw (Deut. 28:34).

Jesus' own family once thought he was "out of his mind" (Mark 3:21). Oftentimes the truth is so shockingly opposed to our deepest and dearest assumptions that it appears folly and madness. We need therefore to let God's Word incessantly transform and renew our minds (Rom. 12:2) that we think and speak not as children of the world, but as children of our heavenly Father. 

"Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name" (Ps. 86:11).