2 Samuel 6

Then David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet. Now as the ark of the LORD came into the City of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

(2Sa 6:14-16)

Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, "How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!" So David said to Michal, "It was before the LORD, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the LORD. And I will be even more undignified than this, and will be humble in my own sight. But as for the maidservants of whom you have spoken, by them I will be held in honor."

(2Sa 6:20-22)

David was overjoyed! After a false start, when they tried to do things the world’s way, the ark is coming to Jerusalem. As the priests carry the ark, making sacrifices to the LORD along the way, trumpets are blowing; people are shouting… it is a time of worship and celebration. Where is David, the king of this rejoicing nation? He is right at the front of the pack, and he is dancing with ALL OF HIS MIGHT.

There have been a few times in my life when I have danced with all my might. Greg and I used to work together, and we would have these “dance parties” (just the two of us) before the store opened or after it closed. We would dance so hard, we would get so into it that anything other than music and dancing had totally disappeared from our consciousness. We looked ridiculous. When Casey was little, he would dance with all of his might. He would make these crazy concentrated faces and just go nuts, totally oblivious to the rest of the world. This is how I picture King David… He was GETTING DOWN!

The difference is this… my dancing wasn’t really worship, it was silly. The cause of David’s dancing was this incredible event going on around him, and he couldn’t help but express the elation in his heart, it made him dance with ALL HIS MIGHT. As David danced he was not dressed in the attire of a KING. No fancy clothes or royal robes, David was wearing a linen ephod, like a priest… David was dressed like a SERVANT OF THE LORD. You see, this event wasn’t about David, it was about the Lord. As David danced, he didn’t care what anyone else thought, he tells us that he wanted to be HUMBLE in the sight of the Lord, and was willing to be even more undignified for his Lord. David didn’t care about what others thought; he cared about the heart of God.

This brings us to the second character we will focus on, MICHAL. First, notice where she was: she wasn’t out celebrating; she wasn’t part of this event at all! Instead, she was observing it from her window. Isn’t it crazy how the greatest critics of God’s servants tend to people who aren’t involved in God’s service at all? Michal only cared about REPUTATION. When she saw David, she didn’t see his heart; she didn’t see his love for the Lord. She didn’t even see the significance of this event, and she totally missed the fact that it wasn’t about David, it was about the Lord. She hated David in her heart; she hated him because he didn’t look very kingly.

Our question today is this: Are you David or Michal? When the Lord is working and moving, are you right there in the middle of it, rejoicing at what He is doing, or are you a spectator, mocking those who are giving their lives away for the Lord. Jesus took on the form of a servant and made himself of no reputation. His actions and choices were not about winning favor with man; instead he did “only those things that pleased the Father”. We need to stop worrying about what people might think, and start thinking about what the Lord wants. Don’t be a Michal… Be a David.