David's story is one of the most complete character arcs in Scripture. From shepherd boy to giant-killer to King, his rise was meteoric. He was called "a man after God's own heart," a commendation given to no one else.

Yet remarkably and regrettably, David's greatest failures came not in his youth but in his maturity. When he finally reached the pinnacle of success—when the shepherd boy had become King—David made several catastrophic choices that reverberated through generations. His illicit affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband set off a chain reaction of family dysfunction, sexual violence, and ultimately, rebellion from his own son Absalom.

In the chaos of Absalom's rebellion and eventual death, we meet a character named Ahimaaz. When news needed to be delivered to King David about the battle's outcome, Ahimaaz desperately wanted to be the one to run with the report.The military commander Joab had already sent another messenger—someone who had actually been on the battlefield and witnessed events firsthand. According to 2 Samuel 18: 22:

Ahimaaz son of Zadok kept at it, begging Joab, “What does it matter? Let me run, too, following the Cushite.” Joab said, “Why all this ‘Run, run’? You’ll get no thanks for it, I can tell you.” “I don’t care; let me run.”Okay,” said Joab, “run.” So Ahimaaz ran, taking the lower valley road, and passed the Cushite.

So he ran. And because he was fast, he actually arrived before the other messenger. But when King David asked him what happened, Ahimaaz had nothing to say. When he was asked by King David what had occurred in 2 Samuel 18:29, he confessed that "I saw a huge ruckus …but I don't know what it was about." As a result, he was told to step aside. When the second messenger arrived—the one who had actually been present, who actually knew what happened—he was able to give a full account. Ahimaaz was a messenger without a message. Ahimaaz had ambition but no assignment. Ahimaaz confused speed with velocity. He got there first but had nothing to contribute. He was going nowhere in a hurry!

There's a crucial distinction in physics between speed and velocity. Speed is simply how fast you're going. Velocity is speed in a particular direction.You can be moving incredibly fast and still be going nowhere if you're not headed in the right direction. You can climb the ladder quickly only to discover it's leaning against the wrong wall. In Proverbs 4: 26, we are instructed to "ponder the path of our feet." In other words, think about where you're going before you start running. Consider whether your destination is worth reaching. Don't confuse motion with progress, activity with accomplishment, or busyness with productivity.

So here are a few questions that I want you to consider: Where are you rushing to? Why are you running so fast? What are you really chasing?

Are you climbing the corporate ladder without asking if it leads where you want to go? Are you pursuing relationships without considering if they're healthy? Are you accumulating possessions without questioning whether they bring genuine fulfillment? Are you so busy making a living that you're not making a life?

Don’t be a modern day Ahimaaz. Don't be a messenger with no message. Don't waste your energy getting somewhere first only to discover you have nothing to contribute when you arrive. Take time to ponder the path of your feet. Define your why before you focus on your what and how. Make sure your ladder is on the right wall before you start climbing. Because getting there first means nothing if you have nothing to say when you arrive.

Going Nowhere In A Hurry