By the time Nathan confronted David for his sins, a baby had been born, so it was at least nine months later. By this time David was surely confident his coverup had worked, but Nathan would reveal it had not. As believers, we have been called on by God to confront the sins of one another (Luke 17:3; Galatians 6:1; 1 Timothy 5:20; James 5:19–20), and Nathan offers a great model for doing so. It is one of great wisdom and courage.

Nathan began not by directly confronting David of his sin, but by helping him see the gravity of what he had done through a story of a wealthy man who had taken from a poor man. Having lured David in, Nathan sprang the trap by boldly declaring David was the cruel man in the story. Finally, after months of compounding and covering up sin, David confessed and repented. The desired outcome of Nathan’s confrontation had worked. In the same way, we should seek a balance of wisdom and courage in how we confront others, all while praying and hoping for confession, repentance, and reconciliation.

Who might God be calling on you to confront in love?