SHARE AND SHARE ALIKE - 1621
By 1621, Plymouth’s settlers were sick of the share-and-share-alike policy their English backers had adopted. Many colonists wanted to parcel the common land into private chunks. Deacon Robert Cushman warned them strongly against this kind of talk, which he said was selfish.
God shows no partiality, He does not esteem the strong over the weak, or the weak over the strong. He values the dignity of all His children. This is a valuable lesson in todays culture. God supplies the talent and the increase, not man, and it is meant to share.
These men insisted that the spoil captured from the Amalekites should not be divided with the men who stayed at the Brook Besor with the supplies. David pointed out that the booty captured from the Amalekites was actually a gift from God, who had given them the victory.
David’s band of warriors were one, although they had different strengths and abilities. They would share equally in the fruits of victory.
1 Samuel 30:21-25
21 Now David came to the two hundred men who had been so weary that they could not follow David, whom they also had made to stay at the Brook Besor. So they went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. And when David came near the people, he greeted them. 22 Then all the wicked and worthless men of those who went with David answered and said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except for every man’s wife and children, that they may lead them away and depart.”
23 But David said, “My brethren, you shall not do so with what the Lord has given us, who has preserved us and delivered into our hand the troop that came against us. 24 For who will heed you in this matter? But as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall his part be who stays by the supplies; they shall share alike.” 25 So it was, from that day forward; he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.
8 and spoke to them, saying, “Return with much riches to your tents, with very much livestock, with silver, with gold, with bronze, with iron, and with very much clothing. Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.”
Joshua 22:8
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