Monday Memo 1278: She Refused to Look Away

Rizpah – 2 Samuel 21:1–14

This week in our continuing Power of Purple series on women of purpose in Scripture, we meet Rizpah, a woman who refused to abandon those who could no longer defend themselves or protect their legacy. Her story is one of the most heartbreaking in the Old Testament, but it also teaches us something important about purpose, sacrifice, and advocacy for others.

During David's reign, Israel experienced a famine that lasted three years. When David sought the Lord about its cause, God revealed that the famine was connected to Saul's bloodshed against the Gibeonites. Israel had made a covenant to protect the Gibeonites, but Saul had violated that agreement by attempting to destroy them. When David asked what would make amends, the Gibeonites requested seven of Saul's male descendants, who were subsequently executed.

Two of those men were Rizpah's sons. They had not committed Saul's offense, yet they paid a high price for what he had done. Their deaths were connected to an effort to make atonement for the bloodshed and bring an end to the famine. Rizpah couldn't change what had happened, but she could make sure their sacrifice wasn't forgotten or dishonored.

SHE STAYED

We're told what Rizpah did after the executions:

Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens on the bodies, she did not let the birds touch them by day or the wild animals by night (2 Samuel 21:10).

Think about that. Rizpah remained near the bodies, protecting them from scavengers and wild animals, day after day and night after night. She couldn't restore her sons' lives, but she could protect their dignity and honor the sacrifice they had made. She refused to walk away simply because there was nothing more she could do to change their circumstances.

Her actions eventually came to David's attention. He arranged for the remains of Saul and Jonathan to be brought back and buried, along with those of the seven who had been executed. Scripture then reports that God answered prayer on behalf of the land (2 Samuel 21:14).

WHO GETS YOUR ATTENTION?

Rizpah's story raises an important purpose question: Whose suffering or needs consistently get your attention? Some people seem especially sensitive to those who are overlooked, mistreated, forgotten, or unable to defend themselves. They don't simply feel sorry for them; they are moved to do something.

Perhaps you have a special concern for children, the elderly, prisoners, people with disabilities, or families experiencing poverty. Others may recognize injustices in their communities and devote years to addressing the conditions that produce them. Their purpose isn't simply to respond to one unfortunate situation but to serve a particular group of people whose needs repeatedly move them to action.

Everyone should show compassion, but some people have a lifelong purpose that involves turning compassion into sustained advocacy. They become counselors, advocates, organizers, caregivers, or leaders who speak and act on behalf of people who cannot easily do so for themselves.

WHY CAN'T OTHERS SEE IT?

People with this kind of purpose often have trouble understanding why everyone else doesn't see what they see or feel what they feel. They notice suffering, injustice, or neglect that others seem able to overlook. They wonder how people, especially Christian people, can go about their lives when something so important needs attention.

But that's part of what makes purpose personal. God hasn't equipped everyone to notice or respond to every need with the same intensity. What troubles you deeply may not affect someone else in the same way, and that doesn't necessarily mean they are uncaring. It may mean you have a particular sensitivity that is pointing you toward the people or problems your purpose equips you to address.

That's also why educating others may be an important part of your purpose. You may need to help people understand the pain they haven't experienced, the injustice they haven't noticed, or the sacrifice they have taken for granted. Your job isn't simply to ask why others don't care. It's to help them see what you see and understand why something needs to be done.

CHASE AWAY THE PREDATORS

Rizpah didn't simply sit beside the bodies of her sons and the others who had been executed. She actively chased away the birds and wild animals that came to feed on their remains. She was protecting the dignity of those who had paid a terrible price for something they hadn't done, and she refused to allow their sacrifice to be further dishonored.

That's a powerful picture of another aspect of purpose. Sometimes you have to confront people, attitudes, or practices that threaten to destroy or diminish what others have sacrificed to accomplish. You may have to speak up when history is distorted, when vulnerable people are exploited, or when the contributions of others are ignored. It's not enough to recognize the value of something if you're unwilling to defend it when necessary.

Rizpah's persistence eventually reached David, who arranged for the remains to receive a proper burial. Her actions brought attention to people who could no longer speak for themselves, and her determination helped bring about a response from someone who had the authority to act.

Perhaps there’s a group of people whose suffering you can't ignore or a sacrifice made by others that you feel compelled to preserve. Don't become discouraged because everyone doesn't share your passion. Instead, recognize that your sensitivity may be part of your purpose, and use it to educate others and move them to action—or to move you to action. You may be the one who sees what others overlook, feels what others don't feel, and refuses to allow something precious to be forgotten or destroyed.

Purpose Principle: Your purpose may give you a special sensitivity to suffering, injustice, or sacrifice that others don't recognize. Don't simply wonder why they can't see what you see. Help them understand, and be willing to defend what others have sacrificed to accomplish.