When David brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, he did it with fanfare. Every few steps a sacrifice was made. He danced before the ark. And when they arrived in Jerusalem he blessed everyone and sent them home with food.
Everyone was rejoicing, except for Michal, Saul's daughter and David's former wife. when she saw David dancing she despised him. After everyone had gone home, she confronted him for his disgraceful behavior. "This is not how a king should behave!"
David answered, "It was before the LORD...and I will celebrate before the LORD" (2 Samuel 6:21).
His behavior and his praise was focused on the LORD, not on what others thought. He wasn't concerned about Michal, but about pleasing the LORD.
Some use this account to argue that dancing in church services is acceptable. I don't think that's the lesson to be learned here.
Rather, it's a lesson on the fear of God vs the fear of man. A lesson on living to please God, rather than living to please others. Praising God, or earning the praise of man.
And this confronts us every day, in multiple situations - not just in our worship services.
Do you work hard when the boss is around, or do you work hard all the time because God is always there?
Are you honest in your finances because you don't want to be audited, or because you know that God is watching you?
Are you doing your good works before men to be seen of them, or are your good works an expression of your love for God?
You won't be able to please everyone around you, so a life of pleasing man will be frustrating. But God has given us clear instructions and He knows our motivations.
Living to please Him is much easier than living to please others.
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