Uriah’s Wife

Uriah’s Wife: Outsiders: A Christmas Story, part 3

We’re getting closer, day by day, to celebrating Christmas and the birth of Jesus Christ. Over the past several weeks, we’ve been looking at the stories of the “scandalous women” found in Matthew’s genealogy. Tamar. Rahab. Now, Uriah’s Wife. This isn’t a story for the faint of heart or those who want to sanitize every biblical account. This is about how God doesn’t avoid our disasters—He transforms them. David. A man after God’s own heart? Undoubtedly. But also a man capable of spectacular moral collapse. One lazy afternoon, desire trumps integrity. He sees Bathsheba. He wants. He takes. He destroys. Uriah—a faithful soldier—becomes collateral damage in the king’s tsunami of selfishness.

But God.

Those two words change everything. Where human sin looks like a dead end, God sees a doorway. The very mess David creates becomes the pathway through which the Messiah will eventually arrive. This isn’t neat. This isn’t clean. This is raw, unfiltered redemption. Bathsheba, a woman wounded by royal abuse, becomes part of the most important genealogy in human history. Solomon—born from this complicated beginning—will carry the genetic thread that, generations later, leads directly to Jesus. Think about that. The Savior of the world emerges from a family tree twisted with adultery, murder, and complicated relationships. God doesn’t airbrush history. He redeems it. Your worst moment? Your greatest shame? These are not stop signs for God. They’re construction sites where mercy is building something magnificent. The cross proves it. God specializes in resurrection—taking what looks dead, broken, hopeless, and breathing new life. He doesn’t just forgive your mess. He uses it. Your story isn’t over. Not by a long shot. That’s the beauty of Christmas.

Dinner Table Conversations:

Adult & Teen Table Talk:

• God frequently works in ways that defy human logic—using a complicated, messy relationship to advance His divine plan. Share a time when God’s method of working in your life was completely unexpected.
• Despite David’s significant moral failure, he’s still described as “a man after God’s own heart.” How does this challenge your understanding of God’s grace? What does this reveal about the nature of God’s love?
• Bathsheba could have been permanently defined by this traumatic experience. Instead, she became an important figure in God’s redemptive story. How can we help people move from shame to restoration?

Little Learners’ Table Talk:

• How can we help our friends when they make mistakes? What does it mean to be a good friend?
• God’s love is bigger than any mistake we can make. Draw a picture of what you think God’s big love looks like!

Caleb McCaughan, Pulpit Minister