In the Hebrew Scriptures the prophet Nathan tells the philandering King David this extraordinary tale we all know so well as it has become enshrined in Western literature as the consummate ‘Gotcha’ story-
The ending of ‘The Sting,’ the middle of ‘The Crying Game,’ have nothing on this 3,000 year old tale which eloquently and elegantly takes a turn -and stops the King in his tracks, laying his motives and actions as bare as Bathesheba’s shapely bum.

“Can’t you see what we all see?” Nathan seems to be saying-
What you are doing is so obviously wrong. It is sin and sin is a rebellion against God. But it is also a rebellion against us, the people you’ve been chosen to serve - and ultimately it is a rebellion against yourself.

When you sin, Nathan seems to be pointing out, you are betraying your own self-hood by taking part in this sin that is original to the world. And it is this: the insistence on being what you are not, a desire for a life other than your own.

The Shepherd boy, David, was chosen by God to fearlessly lead and unite the 12 tribes of Israel. Yet once he was anointed King, given the security code to the palace, the cars, bodyguards and expense accounts, he began to fancy himself not in the tradition of an obedient Abraham, hopeful Joseph, or faithful Jacob-
But as Hugh Hefner-
-making a mockery of his people and his reputation as he longed to live a life that was not his own.
‘Be our King!’ – was the strong and united call of Israel-
God said no, then yes, all the while knowing it was a hard job to fill, and God did the best that could be done-
However David decided he wanted to be somebody else.

In what ways do we try to be somebody else?
How do we use the resources we've been given toward selfish ends?
How much energy and how many resources do we spend doing this?
How might we more fully concentrate on who we are, who we're called to be and what we're called to do?

Reading:
Choice, Desire, and the Will of God - David Runcorn
An Altar in the World - Barbara Brown Taylor
Cheese - Max McCalman