Most of my husband’s childhood memories revolve around his grandparents so it was no surprise when he began to hunt for a truck that would remind him of his Grandpa during quarantine. After searching for what felt like a century, let’s be honest all I was concerned with was the price, he found it. Just like anyone who gets a new vehicle you want to drive it everywhere. Although the quarantine price was fantastic, the realization of nowhere to go was a struggle. The result was my husband driving to the mailbox and wanting to go on a “Sunday drive” on any day that ends in “y.” We quickly learned we could get ice cream as long as we mentioned riding in the new truck. Winning! 

The disaster struck when our 12 year old was playing basketball and hit the windshield of the truck, shattering it. A two week old truck was going to get a brand new windshield. My husband is not an overly emotional man and I have only seen him cry twice in our 15 year marriage. This day he was close to adding a tally to the record. You may be worried about my son at this point and I can tell you this, he avoided all punishment and received grace. 

Before you start to think we are saints as parents, it has nothing to do with us. Unless you consider him paying us back in hugs as cruel and unusual punishment, he did not have any punishment, not because it was a complete accident (it was) but because of how he responded. He took responsibility for his actions. 

Most 12 years olds would have come up with a plan, blamed it on someone else, or even possibly waited for it to be discovered. But he did not do that. He immediately came in and with his head bowed, he told his dad what happened to the beloved brand new truck.  

Recently I had the privilege of reading I Am David: 10 Lessons in Greatness from Israel’s Most Famous King by Jimmy Evans and he helped me to see something in David I had never seen before, his ownership. When I wrote Shame: Satan’s Lie I wrote about David’s lapse of good judgement when he slept with Bathsheba. What I didn’t connect was in Psalm 51:4-19 he is writing about this incident and begging God for his mercy. 

This was not the only time he takes ownership, but you see it as a common thread in his life. 

He takes responsibility and he brings it to God. After Uzzah was struck dead (2 Samuel 6:1-15) he realized he has not properly prepared for the retrieval of the ark. So the second time, not only did he take the correct steps, and made sacrifices, but he worshiped God. 

Instead of trying to be strong, he takes his fear to God. In Psalm 18 he writes about this in his explanation of running from King Saul. I can’t even wrap my head around the fear I would have being on the run from someone so powerful. 

Jimmy Evans said, “Our dependence upon God will rise no higher than our prayer lives. The degree to which we don’t pray is the degree to which we think of ourselves as independent of God.”

The most powerful example of David’s ownership can be found in 1 Samuel 30. 

30 David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, 2 and had taken captive the women and everyone else in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way.

3 When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4 So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. 5 David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6 David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.

7 Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelek, “Bring me the ephod.” Abiathar brought it to him, 8 and David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?”

David and his men have returned from battle as beaten down soldiers. They want to return home to what they had left only to find it had been raided, burnt down, and their women and children gone. I can’t even imagine the anguish. The men in my life, including my husband as I mentioned, are not criers, but verse 4 says these men wept aloud. This makes my heart break for them. For strong, soldiers to have wept aloud they must have felt they lost every ounce of hope. 

As most people do in turmoil, the men needed someone to blame and they turned on David. They begin to discuss stoning him. David then could have begun to beg them for their mercy, run away in fear, or allowed his own distress to give up on life. But David takes ownership by seeking God. The result? Well that’s another story for another time but spoiler alert it ends better than one can hope!

Taking ownership of your actions, emotions, and responses is not easy. It is much easier in the short run to cover up, run, or make excuses. I am learning from my son and from David, when we take ownership it is often followed with grace. 

This is just one of the many qualities of David shared by Jimmy Evans in his new book. He has written in depth and detail, expanding upon the stories of David with historical background and reference to David’s own writings in Psalms. Then he has made the scripture applicable! The best news is I am giving ONE away!! 

Here is how you can participate in the GIVEAWAY for I Am David: 10 Lessons in Greatness from Israel’s Most Famous King by Jimmy Evans:

• Follow: either candice_deleeuw on Instagram OR candicedeleeuwauthor on Facebook  
• Tag a friend in the comments (more tags equals more entries)
• Subscribe to candicedeleeuw.com (only once).
• Giveaway will be drawn on Sunday, June 14.