Living with your enemies

David had a major beef with his general Joab, but for all of his life he took no decisive action against him. Joab murdered Amasa and Abner because they were competition for his job (1Ki 2:31-33). Perhaps David feared Joab. Perhaps he felt obligated to Joab for doing his dirty work with Uriah (2Sam 11). For some reason he chose to tolerate a conniving murderer as his commanding general. The lesson is that nothing is ever perfect. Some chronic problems must simply be endured. Some issues are not ours to sort out. Vengeance is the Lord’s and sometimes He chooses to let us live with a thorn in the flesh (Rom 12:19, 2Co 12:7).