King David and the Chinese Pig Whisperer

Bill Brown .... Xiamen University

"Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to my integrity." Psalm 7:8

"Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers." Confucius

The Chinese Judge and the Pig Whisperer In 1912, John MacGowan, of the Amoy Mission, wrote an amusing story of how a Chinese judge ingeniously solved a crime by using a temple goddess' help! (Click Here to read the full story, "Pig Whisperer").

A man returned from a long journey, and whispered to his wife that he had hidden gold beneath the temple idol. But as MacGowan wrote, "A Chinese does not seem to know how to whisper. He can shout and bawl and howl, but the art of speaking quietly into another’s ear is a lost one in China. The expression 'in a pig’s whisper' would be utterly misunderstood in this land." [You have to live here to appreciate this; just try carrying on a conversation in a Chinese restaurant!]

The next-door neighbor heard the whisper, stole the gold, was accused, and of course protested his innocence. The judge was certain of his guilt, so he called in the idol as a witness, threatened her with beatings for contempt of court when she refused to talk, adjourned--and the next day the idol indeed solved the case! (Again, see how in "Pig Whisperer").

King David's protests of innocence in Psalm 7:8 reminds me of the "innocent"Chinese thief. What audacity David had to demand that God judge him according to David's righteousness and integrity! David was not only an adulterer but a murderer. Yet David did make this claim, and God honored it--because God had forgiven him for his past and, in this particular matter at least, he was innocent. And in spite of his problems, he was wholehearted in his service to God.

Integrity, F.B.Meyers says, is from the Latin word "integer," meaning whole. David, for all his failings, wholeheartedly served God. And after God chose this youngest son of an insignificant family of a small tribe to be King, David waited patiently for God to work things out in His way in His time. When Saul tried repeatedly to kill him, David refused to retaliate. "I will not touch the Lord's anointed," David said, even when his men argued that God himself had put Saul's life in his hands. It seemed logical enough to his men, but David was taking no chances.

Slippery Descent David wholeheartedly served God, but once he became a king he made the slippery descent from "God's friend" to adulterer and murderer so gradually that he never noticed the slide, rather like a frog in slowly heating water who contentedly boils to death.

Losing the Edge It is ironic that David acted like a king before assuming the throne, living with honor and integrity and fighting for his country. But after he became king, and had power and wealth and respect, he ceased being a king! He sent his men out to fight his battles, and lazed at home in comfort. He lost the edge that God had carefully honed over the decades to make him fit for battle--and while resting at home while his armies fought for him, he saw Bathsheba, was overpowered by hormones, committed adultery, had her husband murdered...and you know the rest of the story.

David--a man of integrity? Yes, he was! He was still wholehearted. His failure was not in heart but hormones, and bad judgment--and then he responded like a rat in a trap, because he was human. But once his sin was pointed out to him by Nathan's ingenious parable (2 Sam. 12:1-13), David quickly confessed "I have sinned." (Unlike later kings, who expelled or killed the prophets of God). Nathan replied, "The Lord has taken away your sin." David still paid the consequence, but his relationship with God was restored.

Slap on the wrist? It seems David got off pretty easily! But then again, given the amazing life he had lived, his unparalleled integrity and faithfulness to God, friend and enemy alike, I am encouraged that he was not abandoned because of this one lapse in character. After all, has anyone else, you and I included, every come even close to David's integrity?

Our Righteousness is as... It only takes one murder to make one a murderer, one lie to make one a liar. No wonder Isaiah wrote in 64:6 "For all of us have become like one who is unclean. And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment" (NAS). David was a murderer, and a liar--but he was forgiven, and his past was put behind him. It is encouraging that we can do the same, and we have a great advantage over David because we have Jesus, a man of perfect integrity and righteous.

But...are we living, as best we can, a life of integrity?

F.B. Meyer ("Our Daily Homily," London, 1894) wrote of Psalm 7:8

SPECIFIC charges were ever being made against David, of which he knew himself to be absolutely innocent. He would not have dared to challenge God thus, if the whole of his life were passing under review. In that case there would have been no hesitation in confessing that, taken generally, he was a sinful man. Similarly, God's children are often accused of wrongs of which they are absolutely innocent. In such case they have a right to declare their innocence before their fellows; then if this avail not to procure their acquittal, they must turn to God, and ask Him to interpose.

But what a question this suggests! Are you able, child of God, to declare that, as far as you have the light, you are living righteously, soberly, godly, in this present world? Is your life right-wise--that is, four-square with the demands of God's law, able to bear the test of his line and plummet? Can you assert your integrity? Integrity is derived from the Latin integer, a whole, a number unbroken by fractions. Are you whole-hearted? or, to use the grand old word, is your heart perfect before God? If it be, it matters very little what men shall say of your character. If a man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but glorify God on this behalf. What is said is aimed rather at the Master than the servant. God becomes responsible for your vindication. He will arise and show Himself strong, putting to silence the enemy and avenger. Trust your reputation with God, and, in the meanwhile, go on doing his will. There is no harm in calmly and temperately attesting your innocence; but if this avails not to stay the storm, bend before it. Do not appeal to law, God will vindicate you.

Reference, John MacGowan, "Men and Manners of Modern China" (1912, p. 164-60).
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