2 Samuel 19:2, 5-6 And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto the people….And Joab came into the house of the king, and said, Thou hast shamed this day the faces of thy servants….In that thou lovest thine enemies and hateth thy friends.
David had turned victory into mourning by weeping publicly over Absalom. It was not becoming for the king to think more highly of his enemy than of the lives of all those who fought for him. Instead of commending the army for victory, he shamed them, and Joab, for killing his son, the enemy.
As difficult as it was, Joab felt it necessary to reprove the king for not being kingly. Personal confrontation of those in authority is never easy, but sometimes we must speak truth to power. Joab was risking the king’s displeasure by confronting him, but he saw what had to be done. His actions are a helpful example to us. Sometimes we may be called upon to respond by speaking the truth in love. No one likes to confront, but there may be times when we need to use the help of the Word and the Spirit to speak boldly. There would have been no Reformation if Luther had not had the faith and courage to confront error.