When I was growing up I liked collecting medals. I won medals for soccer, Bible recitation, running, and athletics. I thought of them as giving me worth in some way. My father had raised me with the ‘no-one-remembers-second’ mentality and I had bought into that. Since I have grown up awards and accalades have been a snare for me. I have excused my insecurity as having ‘words of affirmation’ as my love language.
It is good to honour those who have done well but not to create vain superheroes. The aim of all achievement is to give glory to God. Recently I have started accumulating running shirts and medals. They are not on display, but I keep them as a reminder to be thankful for all God has done in keeping me fit and allowing me to compete.
The list in 2 Samuel of David’s exploits is really an account of how God strengthened David’s hand. How God brought security and safety to Israel is testimony to David’s trust in God. It is not the aggrandising of self.
2 Samuel 8
1In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Metheg Ammah from the control of the Philistines.
2David also defeated the Moabites. He made them lie down on the ground and measured them off with a length of cord. Every two lengths of them were put to death, and the third length was allowed to live. So the Moabites became subject to David and brought him tribute.
3 Moreover, David defeated Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah, when he went to restore his monument at[a] the Euphrates River. 4 David captured a thousand of his chariots, seven thousand charioteers[b]and twenty thousand foot soldiers. He hamstrung all but a hundred of the chariot horses.
5 When the Arameans of Damascus came to help Hadadezer king of Zobah, David struck down twenty-two thousand of them. 6He put garrisons in the Aramean kingdom of Damascus, and the Arameans became subject to him and brought tribute. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.
7 David took the gold shields that belonged to the officers of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. 8 From Tebah[c]and Berothai, towns that belonged to Hadadezer, King David took a great quantity of bronze.
9 When Tou[d] king of Hamath heard that David had defeated the entire army of Hadadezer, 10 he sent his son Joram[e]to King David to greet him and congratulate him on his victory in battle over Hadadezer, who had been at war with Tou. Joram brought with him articles of silver, of gold and of bronze.
11 King David dedicated these articles to the LORD, as he had done with the silver and gold from all the nations he had subdued: 12 Edom[f]and Moab, the Ammonites and the Philistines, and Amalek. He also dedicated the plunder taken from Hadadezer son of Rehob, king of Zobah.
13 And David became famous after he returned from striking down eighteen thousand Edomites[g]in the Valley of Salt.
14He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.
David’s Officials
15 David reigned over all Israel, doing what was just and right for all his people. 16 Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; 17 Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelek son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was secretary; 18 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.
Questions
- What kinds of things are listed as achievements for David?
- What would have been the original response to all of the bloodshed?
- How is God portrayed through David’s victories?
- What would your trophy cabinet look like if it honoured your most recent achievement?
- Which of your achievements would God place most value in?
Plymothian 
1. victories over his enemies wherever he went.
2. How could God let these things happen?
3. All-powerful and merciful to David.
5. loving others when they need love the most.
1. always defeating his enemies.
2. that david was too powerful.
3. as the giver of the ability to win; david thanked God.
4. i’m not sure
5. ones that benefited others
1.God gave him victory over all his enemies
2.I don’t understand this question
3.He is a help to David and alone gives David power
4.?
5.Those of which, before I “performed”, I submitted them to Him first in attitude and prayer.
1.What kinds of things are listed as achievements for David? in many battles David won (defeated enemies!!)
2.What would have been the original response to all of the bloodshed?cruel??
3.How is God portrayed through David’s victories? God gave David the power in the battles and brought victories to David
4.What would your trophy cabinet look like if it honoured your most recent achievement? ………hm…… ah… honored…me most recent achievement… I can’t think of my recent achievement .. well following school work?!
5.Which of your achievements would God place most value in?..
1. What kinds of things are listed as achievements for David?
Different victories of battle, lands he conquored, people he killed, etc.
2. What would have been the original response to all of the bloodshed?
Why? Such death!
3. How is God portrayed through David’s victories?
God is portrayed as the one who enabled David to have the victories and to advance his kingdom.
4. What would your trophy cabinet look like if it honoured your most recent achievement?
It would probably be one that honored my summer at camp. I got the chance to lead three girls to Christ.
5. Which of your achievements would God place most value in?
Probably that one, because it was his own doing, and done for Himself.
1) The majority of his achievments that are listed include destroying nations and killing people.
2) I think the original response by the Israelites would be that God is victorious and has delivered them from their enemies!
3) God is given credit for being the one to give David the victory.
4) Probably an award for some kind of academic achievement.
5) Ones that invovled sharing Christ’s love to others, and living like Him.
1. David’s achievements include military conquests and gifts.
2. The original response to all the bloodshed would have been that David is powerful and a great leader.
3. God is portrayed as being supportive of the Israelites through David.
4. My trophy cabinet would include my grades.
What kinds of things are listed as achievements for David?
~~~Different Victories
What would have been the original response to all of the bloodshed?
God is angry
How is God portrayed through David’s victories?
The Abilty to Win
What would your trophy cabinet look like if it honoured your most recent achievement?
Probably the same as Mr. Woralls
Which of your achievements would God place most value in?
—God would place the most achievment on how I love others and accept others
1. Some of David’s achievements are his victories and conquests.
2. The original response to all the bloodshed should be bad?
3. God is portrayed through David’s victories through David’s personality and also his faithfulness.
4. My trophy cabinet would honor my most recent achievement of loving others.
5. I think that God would place most value in my achievement of loving people and being compassionate to them.
1. victory in in his battles
2. seems very harsh
4. seem to be empty because ive struggled a lot and i dont feel very victorious in many areas.
5. achievements that further his kingdom. the ones that are unselfish
1.What kinds of things are listed as achievements for David?
Victories for the battles he’s won
2.What would have been the original response to all of the bloodshed?
Good- David is a powerful leader and his victories valid that he is a good king.
3.How is God portrayed through David’s victories?
God’s faithfulbess to David
4.What would your trophy cabinet look like if it honoured your most recent achievement?
hmmmm……I honeestly don’t know…..
5.Which of your achievements would God place most value in?
One’s the were won with an attitude that glorifed abd honored him
1.What kinds of things are listed as achievements for David?
– The victories over her enemies and the plunder, tribute from them.
2.What would have been the original response to all of the bloodshed?
– Inhumane and ruthless
3.How is God portrayed through David’s victories?
– as the leader of wars.
4.What would your trophy cabinet look like if it honoured your most recent achievement?
–
5.Which of your achievements would God place most value in?
– perseverance
1.What kinds of things are listed as achievements for David?
Victories over all his enemy
2.What would have been the original response to all of the bloodshed?
The original response would be that all these bloodshed are cruel and harsh.
3.How is God portrayed through David’s victories?
God showed that He is victorious through David.
4.What would your trophy cabinet look like if it honoured your most recent achievement? Serving in the church, living diligently
5.Which of your achievements would God place most value in?
Showing gospel through my life behind.