Save Only

1 Kings 15:5

Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

Let’s look at this verse in its entirety. The previous verse states God gave Abijam a lamp in Jerusalem for David’s sake. God said the reason He did this was because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD. Notice that God focused on David doing right. God continued by saying, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life. Two phrases of David’s life are focused on David doing right and doing it his entire life.

However, one phrase of David’s life often gets the focus. God ended the two previous statements by saying, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. We tend to focus on the save only when the save only was a short portion of David’s life. God focused on the entirety of David’s life instead of focusing on the save only. Yes, God pointed out the save only, but He chose not to look at David’s life through that small flaw in his life.

We must be careful about destroying the whole picture of one’s life for the save only in their life. The save only is often just a small portion of one’s life. So, someone has fallen in sin, and the punishment they faced for their sin followed them for the rest of their lives; we must not forget the majority of their life because of a save only they committed. I can point to many people who have a save only in their lives, but that does not truly describe the entirety of their lives. Let’s just say the save only actually covers a decade of one’s life, but they lived seventy years. Are you going to focus on one-seventh of one’s life and forget the sixth-sevenths of their life? No, we must not forget the one-sevenths for it teaches us a lesson, but we must also not let the picture of one’s life be dictated by the smallest portion of their life. There is much good many have done who have fallen in sin that we ought to focus on instead of focusing on the save only of their lives.

Moreover, we must be careful about allowing the one negative that we don't like what God did to dictate what we feel about God and serving Him. Now, let me make this clear: God NEVER does anything that is not good, but sometimes we disagree with how He handled something in our lives, and we can become bitter if we focus on that save only. If you look at the whole picture of what God has done in your life, you will find that there is much more good He has done for you than a little save only that you disagree with. You could keep your attitude toward God right if you chose not to focus on the save only that you disagreed with.

Furthermore, we must be careful about ruining relationships because of the save only in those relationships. Many marriages are destroyed because of a focus on the save only instead of on the majority of the good they have in that marriage. Many parent/child relationships are destroyed because one side chooses to focus on the save only. Many friendships are severed because one chooses to focus on the save only instead of on the whole picture of the friendship.

My friend, you can always find a save only if that is what you want to focus on. Let me encourage you to look at the whole picture of everything in life, for if you do this, you will find the whole picture is worthy of keeping. Don’t throw the picture away because of the save only.