2 Samuel 10:1

2 Samuel 10:1 says, And it came to pass after this, that the king of the children of Ammon died, and Hanun his son reigned in his stead.  Nahash, the king of the Ammonites died and his son Hanun became king.  One thing is certain, and that is that earthly rulers all ultimately die, but our king, Jesus Christ, lives forever.  Verse two adds, Then said David, I will shew kindness unto Hanun the son of Nahash, as his father shewed kindness unto me. And David sent to comfort him by the hand of his servants for his father. And David’s servants came into the land of the children of Ammon.  Though the Ammonites had been cruel enemies of Israel, Nahash had shown kindness to David, so he decided to show kindness to Hanun, Nahash's son.  David sent comfort by the hand of his servants.  We should never judge people by the actions of even the majority of the people of a nation, but should always judge them individually.   Verse three continues, And the princes of the children of Ammon said unto Hanun their lord, Thinkest thou that David doth honour thy father, that he hath sent comforters unto thee? hath not David rather sent his servants unto thee, to search the city, and to spy it out, and to overthrow it?   Hanun's advisors told him that David had sent his servants to spy on him instead of giving him comfort.  People of the world may always question our motives if we as Christians offer them help in their time of mourning.  Verse four states, Wherefore Hanun took David’s servants, and shaved off the one half of their beards, and cut off their garments in the middle, even to their buttocks, and sent them away.  Hanon took actions to greatly shame David’s servants, leaving them with a beard only on one side and half-naked and sent them home.  I believe that there is still nothing that some of the lost people today enjoy more than trying to bring shame to Christians.  Verse five adds, When they told it unto David, he sent to meet them, because the men were greatly ashamed: and the king said, Tarry at Jericho until your beards be grown, and then return.  When David heard what had happened, he told his servants that had been shamed to remain in Jerusalem until their beards had regrown.  If we as Christians are somehow shamed by the world today, I don't believe we should allow this to permanently keep us from serving God.  The shame may not be visible like a half-shaved beard, but it like the half- shaved beard should be overcome soon.  Verse six continues, And when the children of Ammon saw that they stank before David, the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Bethrehob, and the Syrians of Zoba, twenty thousand footmen, and of king Maacah a thousand men, and of Ishtob twelve thousand men.  When the people of Ammon saw that they now stank before David, or had now made themselves his enemy by their actions, they began to hire others to help them.  The enemies of God, even if they don't always get along, will often unite in their battle against God's people, the followers of Christ.