David's Blind Spot
David was a great man, a great king, a great psalmist, a great warrior, and many other great things. However, David had a blind spot. He was often neglectful as a father. Sometimes David did not pay attention to his children. This was the case with Adonijah. When reading this text is easy to blame Adonijah for his presumption in declaring himself king.
However, when you read the background story of David's life and his neglect of his son Adonijah, it is not difficult to see that this son of David struggled with his identity. This led to many instances of Adonijah attempting to gain his father's attention and favor through disturbing behavior.
Since David was old, Adonijah presumed that he would be the next king. He did not consider that God's choice was Solomon.
When men lack the influence and nurture of a father, they are left to their own imagination. To "nurture" means, "To give tender care and protection to a young child, helping it to grow and develop. To encourage somebody or something to flourish." This is a hands-on activity.
Adonijah used his position to convince other people around him that it was his time to become king. It was a mistake for David not to intervene to ask his son what he was doing. This neglect led to a lot of confusion in the kingdom.
David was finally alerted to this matter and acted to anoint his other son, Solomon, as his successor. But the damage was already done and the lesson learned.
The lesson is this: Fathers must nurture their children, especially sons who are ambitious and prone to act foolishly without guidance. And not only fathers, but all those who have authority and responsibility to others must pay attention and take the time to instruct and nurture. The consequences of neglect are too great to ignore.
