David seems to have been a neglected child. You might be surprised at that, so let’s look at what the Bible says.
When the prophet Samuel came to visit David’s father, Jesse, he invited the household to come to a sacrifice. Jesse brought seven of his sons but left David in the fields with the sheep. How would that make you feel? Now maybe there was no one else in all of Bethlehem who could have watched the sheep that night; but nevertheless, being the only one not at the sacrifice must have been keenly felt by David. Whether the slights against us are real or imaginary, they still hurt the same and still have the same effects on us emotionally.
Later, when his brothers were on the front lines of a war with the Philistines and Goliath, Jesse sent David with some food for his brothers (I guess this time they were able to find a “keeper” for the sheep). Instead of being grateful he brought them some homecooked food, they said, “Why did you come down here? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your pride and the insolence of your heart, for you have come down to see the battle.” (1 Samuel 17:28). His brothers’ reaction to this messenger with food could reveal much about how he was treated in the home.
David’s other problems included his son raping his daughter, ...
