DCLM Daily Manna Tuesday June 30th 2026 Large Heartedness

In 1918 when racism was very rife in America, in the back woods of Mississippi was Lawrence Jones, a Negro teacher and preacher. He was about to be lynched by an excited mob. He was thought to have been inciting other Negroes to rebellion. As he stood on the heap of faggots about to be hanged and burnt, he was given the privilege of speech. His speech so swayed the mob that they started there and then to raise funds for his project, Piney Woods Country School. Asked thereafter how he felt about the people who dragged him out to be killed, he replied, “I have no time to quarrel… no man can force me to stoop low enough to hate him.” He had a great mind.

David was also a man of a great mind. His reaction to the murder of Abner by Joab and the dirge he composed on that occasion bore testimony to his innocence. Beyond that, he was too preoccupied with weightier issues to harbour resentment. The late Abner was at the head of the rebellion against David’s kingship and had single-handedly installed Ishbosheth as king over Israel. He had just fallen out with Ishbosheth and made reconciliatory overtures to David with a promise of helping to extend David’s rule over all Israel. Joab, the captain of David’s army, would not countenance such a move – the same Abner had earlier killed his brother. He sought to get even by murdering Abner in cold blood. This brought genuine grief to David, who perhaps for the powerful influence of the sons of Zeruiah, could not punish Joab for this evil. He could only place a curse on them indirectly.

The large-heartedness displayed by David here was not an isolated case. He did that at the death of Saul and Jonathan, Ishbosheth and Absalom, some of whom were after his life.

It is betoken of a Christian to have such a great mind, too occupied with nobler concerns than to harbour bitterness, resentment, grudge, retaliatory thoughts and hatred. Be like Stephen and our Lord, who interceded for their assailants