Hushai the Arkite proved to be an invaluable ally to David, acting as a spy in the ‘court’ of Absalom and offering alternative advice to Ahithophel which paved the way for David’s victory against his rebellious son. To be in the position of undercover agent could not have been easy, and Hushai spoke cleverly to Absalom so that he appeared loyal to him whilst remaining loyal to David. He painted a picture of a victorious leader which clearly swayed Absalom’s tactics, when the truth was that David was exhausted and probably could have been defeated if Absalom had followed Ahithophel’s advice.
Hushai spoke of David as a brave man and fighter ‘as fierce as a wild bear robbed of her cubs’ (2 Sam 17:8), choosing to speak of him in ways that reflected his true nature. We need allies like Hushai, people who will speak well of us when perhaps we do not feel strong or brave, people who will remind us of who we are in God and not who we feel we are. Hushai reminds us that to speak positively requires faith and courage, the ability to see beyond present circumstances and to live by faith and not sight. Who is the Hushai in your life, and to whom can you be a Hushai?