"All Will Share Alike"

(Reading - 1 Samuel 30)

At this point, David is living among the Philistines to prevent King Saul from pursuing him. He and his fighting men have been away from home and while they are away, the Amalekites attack his hometown. They capture the women and children and burn the town. David and his men return to find their homes destroyed and their families taken hostage. "David inquired of the LORD, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?” “Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.” (1 Samuel 30:8)
So David and his 600 fighting men begin their quest to rescue their families and recover their belongings. They come to a large ravine and 200 of the men are "too exhausted to cross the ravine". David and the remaining 400 men continued in the rescue effort, leaving the rest of the men behind to tend to the supplies. They catch up with the raiding parties and defeat them and rescue their families and recover everything that had been stolen.
When they returned to the ravine and met the 200 that remained behind, David's men felt that because the 200 had stayed behind, they were not entitled to recover their possessions. "But all the evil men and troublemakers among David’s followers said, “Because they did not go out with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered. However, each man may take his wife and children and go.” (1 Samuel 30: 22)
David's response was very different. David replied, “No, my brothers, you must not do that with what the LORD has given us. He has protected us and handed over to us the forces that came against us. Who will listen to what you say? The share of the man who stayed with the supplies is to be the same as that of him who went down to the battle. All will share alike.” (1 Samuel 30: 23, 24) "All will share alike". I like that. I mean I understand his men's point of view, they had fought the battle and risked life and limb. Why should those that camped by the river, looking after the supplies be entitled to share in the plunder? I understand that.
Tonight, two basketball teams face each other for the NCAA Basketball Championship. Both teams are made up of players that have been on the team all season. Some have played in every game, others have only played when the score was so lop-sided that the outcome was not in doubt. They have attended practice and worked out together. They have traveled together, eaten together, won together and lost together. They are a team. Some of the players will not play tonight, most likely. At the end of the game, those that did not play will hoist the trophy over their heads the same as those that played the entire game. Their names will be on the roster of the team that won the National Championship. If you are on the team, you win! You have filled the role that the coach intended, you have played the part that you were called to play.
If you are a Christian, you are on God's team. You are called to fulfill a role on that team that only you can fill. No one else is just like you. You are the only you in the entire universe. You might be a teacher. You might be a preacher. You might be an elder or a deacon. You might greet people at the door or encourage someone after the assembly. You might pray with those that are hurting or rejoice with those that are happy. Whatever the role is that you fill, "all will share alike". You are on the team and the team is going to win. While the outcome of the game tonight is not known, the outcome of our lives is fully known. We win! On God's team, you win. The trophy has already got your name on it, there is a victors crown already reserved for you.
Sometimes it is our nature to look around at others and in our minds, minimize our roles. Don't do that. Use the gifts God has given you to serve Him and those around you. On His team, no one is a bench warmer. You are always in the game, sometimes you are on the battlefield, other times you are guarding the supplies. But the great news is "all will share alike".
I like the way Paul puts it in his letter to Timothy. "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." (2 Timothy 4: 7-9) Stay in the game, finish the race. The outcome is not in doubt, you win! God's team wins!