1 Kings 1:5-6 - Caring for the vulnerable

Scripture:

1 Kings 1:5-6
5 Now Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, "I will be king." So he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen with fifty men to run before him.
6 His father had never crossed him at any time by asking, "Why have you done so?" And he was also a very handsome man, and he was born after Absalom.
NASU


Thoughts:

There are few things worse than taking advantage of someone who's vulnerable.  King David is frail, and seems to be near death's door:

1 Kings 1:1
1 Now King David was old, advanced in age; and they covered him with clothes, but he could not keep warm.
NASU

In his weakened and unwitting state, one of his sons decides to make himself king (verse 5).  David is oblivious to what is going on (verse 6):

1 Kings 1:11
11 Then Nathan spoke to Bathsheba the mother of Solomon, saying, "Have you not heard that Adonijah the son of Haggith has become king, and David our lord does not know it? 
NASU

As was prophesied by this same Nathan after David's adultery with Bathsheba, trouble continues in David's household. 

In contrast to Adonijah's actions, Christians are exhorted to take care of those who are weak, not to exploit them.  Citing two of the most vulnerable of his time, James wrote:

James 1:27
27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
NASU

The word translated "visit" in Classic Greek meant "to nurse" or "take care of the sick."  And Jesus further exhorted us, showing that this care will be a mark of all those who will enter into heaven.  Christians, having received mercy, will then extend it to others:

Matthew 25:34-46
34 "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 
35 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 
36  naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.'
38 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 
39 'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' 
40 " The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'

41 "Then He will also say to those on His left, ' Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 
42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 
43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.' 
44 "Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?' 
45 "Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' 
46 "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
NASU

Prayer:

Lord, may I be a vessel of use to You in ministering to those in need.  Give me discernment to know whom and how I should help, and zeal to follow through.  I want to do Your will.

And may I never be rightly accused of having in some way taken advantage of another.  Please forgive me if I already have, and allow me to make it right.

Amen

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.