The Prodigal's Returnናሙና

The Ripple Effect

Kim Harmon

There are ripple effects of our choices. Whether we live well like Elisha or make some horrible choices like David, our lives affect others.

In 2 Samuel 12, we see David is called out by Nathan after David has had sex with Bathsheba and then placed her husband on the front lines of the war against the Amorites to die. In verses 13 and 14, Nathan foresees that David will lose the child that Bathsheba is carrying. The NIV translation reads, “Because you have shown utter contempt for the Lord. the son born to you will die.” The NASB (1995) version reads, “Because by this deed you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born to you shall surely die.” I read this to mean David’s actions had caused the Amorites to not believe in God. They knew King David. They knew Uriah to be a great leader of the Israelite army. Placing Uriah on the front lines and later having Uriah’s wife become his own, David had caused many people’s faith to falter. David’s actions had consequences.

[2 Kings 13:21 NASB] Then Elisha died and they buried him. Sometime later, raiding bands of Moabites, as they often did, invaded the country. One day, some men were burying a man and spotted the raiders. They threw the man into Elisha’s tomb and got away. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came alive, stood up, and walked out on his own two feet.

On the other hand, Elisha was a very righteous man who did many great deeds because of his relationship with God. After Elisha’s death, there were men en route to bury a man when they saw enemies approaching. Fleeing for safety, the men cast the dead man into Elisha’s grave. When the dead man’s body touched Elisha’s bones, the dead man “revived and stood up on his feet.” Now that is a legacy. Elisha’s great choices in life to follow God were such that even after his death, miracles happened.

Do you want to live a life of David’s legacy or of Elisha’s? Choices have consequences. Great choices have great consequences. God has a plan for you, plans for prosperity and hope and a future.

What choices can you make today for a better life tomorrow?

God, help me to make better choices today for both myself and those around me. Amen.