Absalom wasn't only prideful and haughty, he was patient and crafty. He determined to take the throne from his father and he was willing to wait years in order to set up this coup. He started taking a great show of wealth and power to the city gates. Then he would stop people and cast doubt in their hearts regarding the king, all the while setting himself up as the compassionate leader. And it worked - not immediately, but after four years Absalom won the hearts of the people. He declared himself king in Heron. Remember, this is where David was originally anointed as king.
I find it interesting that Absalom was able to do this for four years! Once again, he is taking advantage of his father's weakness when it comes to family. Once again, we see that a parent must do what is right for his children, not what they want. David was slow to discipline his children. He offered forgiveness without repentance. This allowed his children to continue to make poor choices that affected the entire kingdom.
As parents, we need to learn from David's mistakes. Parenting a child is one of the hardest things you will ever do. It takes diligence, compassion, wisdom, and the willingness to discipline in love. Sound impossible? It's not. In fact, we already have a great role model - our Heavenly Father. God treats us with compassion and mercy; yet, He does what is right for us, not what we want. He disciplines in love so that we will learn to make good choices that benefit not only ourselves, but those around us.
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