“And there happened to be there a rebel, whose name was Sheba the son of Bichri, a Benjamite. And he blew a trumpet, and said: ‘We have no share in David, nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse; every man to his tents, O Israel’” (2 Sam. 20:1).

Why is it that there always seems to be a rebel around? It is the case in almost any circumstance, almost any collective effort or organization, and particularly when some authority is recognized. Someone is dissatisfied. Someone stirs trouble, incites opposition, complains, undermines, subverts, gossips, suggests, deceives, lies. Perhaps it is the result of ego and selfishness, envy or jealousy. Maybe it grows out of poor leadership and failure of inclusion. For some reason, some men are given to a competitive drive for ascendancy, and submission to another man or group of men is repugnant. Almost certainly Satan is involved. It is ugly. It is sad. It is destructive. It infects God’s people all too often.

Unity is a difficult part of our service to God - not unity with God so much (although that has its challenges and we often don’t like what He demands either). More complicated is unity with others. Eph. 4:4ff reminds us that God has offered a number of singular elements upon which we are to build commonality - one body, spirit, hope, Lord, faith, baptism, God and Father. But the admonition of vs. 1-3 begins with a determination to unity and the humility which makes it possible. Unity, like rebellion, begins with my deportment and my decision.

I don’t know what stirred up Sheba. Perhaps, like Shimei in the same story, he felt that David had destroyed Saul and usurped the throne. We are simply not told. What we are told is that he rebelled, led others to rebel, and eventually had his head removed and thrown over the wall of the city of Abel - a fitting end to one who opposed God’s anointed. A fitting end for a rebel.

God help me that I am not the rebel.