King David | Bound by Rags & Beaten by Time!
What can David teach us in the time of Corona?
If a journalist or interviewer were to ask me to sum up “The Leper Messiah” in a word or sentence that word would be Compassion, and perhaps not the 21-century version of the word but rather the stoic version – concern for others.
Davids’ home life and subsequent years of abuse at the hands of drunks in Bethlehem shaped his world view.
Excerpt from The Leper Messiah:
- David was heartbroken: the words his father spoke to the other sons were not so important as the way they were chosen in order to guide them on the right path. He did not know his path and had no guide to lead him so tenderly along. He was alone.
David could have become a brut, unfeeling, and hard, much like many men who had to fight and scrap for whatever they could obtain. Instead, he retreated to the valley of Shanon where he tended the sheep with a caring and gentle hand. But more importantly, he showed both great courage and compassion for his brother when he was attacked by a lion at the pools below mount Gilboa.
Excerpt from The Leper Messiah:
- When Shimea moved an inch, so did the lion. He looked frantically at David, who had know dropped to the ground to avoid the lion’s gaze. The beast licked his lips and stood upon the sun-bleached rocks. He roared once and took a few slow steps towards Shimea , who was now frozen with fear.
“My brother, I must protect him,” Davids’ heart beat faster.
These small incidents built Davids’ character. The reader sees the young boy in his world and gains insight into who the man will become.
The young boy wants to be valued by his brothers and father, and the man wants to unify those that do not understand the power that comes from such unification.
Before David can reach this lofty goal, he must go through many difficult and harrowing trials as we are no in the time of Corona.
Excerpt from The Leper Messiah:
- “Good so he is sold to the next slave trader?” The thief asked.
“And I know the perfect place, a dark place where he will never return from!”
The thieves looked back at the sun-drenched boy bound by rags and beaten by time.
In the time of Coron, are we as a society like that sun-drenched boy, bound by rags and beaten by time?
Robert