THE TAKEAWAY:

When we confront someone in error, we bring them back to a good relationship with God

THE MESSAGE:

The Butterfly Effect is based on the theory that time travelers can alter the entire course of history by changing a seemingly insignificant event, like displacing a butterfly. This concept is exemplified in the horror film The Butterfly Effect, where the protagonist, Evan Treborn, goes back in time to prevent his best friend, Kayleigh, from being sexually abused by her father.

In one scene, he returns to their childhood and confronts Kayleigh’s father, threatening to stop him. Fast forward to the future, Evan and Kayleigh are now a couple, and their lives seem promising. However, that optimism is shattered when Kayleigh reveals to Evan that her father had begun physically abusing her brother. BTW, this 2000s movie is very dark and ends poorly for the protagonist.

In many instances, being slow to anger and speaking out is pure wisdom. But there are instances where we need to stand up for others. That might go poorly in a horror movie, but God blesses faithful followers who speak out against evil. When King David tried to conceal his impregnation of Bathsheba, he had her husband killed on the battlefield. This sin needed to be addressed, and David needed to know God was displeased. Nathan the prophet confronted David and compared him to a wealthy farmer who stole a precious lamb from a very poor farmer. This cut David to the heart, and he began repenting, making amends, and begging God for forgiveness. God allowed David’s family line drama, backstabbing, and treason as punishment for this error. But King David’s psalm shows that God had forgiven him.

All faithful followers will have to step into Nathan’s shoes and tell someone they are overstepping their boundaries or causing harm. When that happens, do not worry about being smart, self-confident, or intimidating; know that God is with you and that you are doing something that will lead someone back to forgiveness.

FIGURE IT OUT:

Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more! Why have you despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. ’”

“Thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.’”

So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.”

And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die.”

2 Samuel 12:7-9, 10-12, 13-14,

  1. Circle or highlight any words or phrases that stand out to you. What makes them significant?
  2. What does Nathan remind David of that he had before he sinned?
  3. Why is it important that God forgave David, but also that there were consequences?
  4. Nathan reminds David of how good God has been to him, focuses on David breaking God’s commandment, and offers spiritual forgiveness and real consequences. How is this formula helpful for giving someone a healthy confrontation?

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