I Chron 15-17 Dancing with the Stars

April 6th, I Chronicles 15-17

       We're back to David's dancing story again. This version of the story is a little less tense than the first telling of it, but it reminds me of issues we need to consider.
       The accusation flies that David was undignified in his dancing as the Ark of the Covenant was being brought back. David's wife had some definition of dignified that was obviously violated by David. All of this reminds me so much of watching groups of people worship.
       What's the norm, does this group clap, does this group sing with vigor, do they do something crazy like raise their hands or allow their bodies to escape some invisible rigid cast meant to make them stand straight as an arrow.
       If your in a hand raising church you'll feel weird with your arms at your side. If your at an invisible cast church you'll feel uncomfortable doing anything. But where does all of this discomfort come from? Why are we looking around to see what we "ought" to be doing, what the norm is? It all sets our focus on each other and not God. David got caught up in the in the moment. He just wanted to physically express himself with no entanglement of what others think.
       My worth is not rooted in other's perceptions of me. When a genuine response to God creates an offense in another, maybe the other needs to find where their source of value comes from. In Michal's case her sense of value came from David acting the part of a dignified King(as perceived by her). Anything less than that was worthy of her scorn.

       In the end, my concern for us is that we step outside of pleasing each other and guarding the norms. That we would press into responding to God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. That pleasing the Lord and living in response to his greatness would be our source of validation in life.