Telling it to your face.

Then Joab came into the house to the king and said, “You have today covered with shame the faces of all your servants, who have this day saved your life and the lives of your sons and your daughters and the lives of your wives and your concubines, because you love those who hate you and hate those who love you. For you have made it clear today that commanders and servants are nothing to you, for today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased. 2 Samuel 19:5-6 ESV

Here was a man who was offended with the actions of the king. David was totally in the wrong here. After all that his men had done for him, he was mourning for the death of Absalom and was wailing loudly before the people saying it would have been better if he died rather than Absalom, literally saying in the words of Joab you have made it clear today that the commanders and servants are nothing to you. For today I know that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, the you would be pleased. Joab was literally offended and enraged by the actions of David, but he did the right thing. He talked to the king. He told David that his actions not only demoralizes the people, the soldiers, and the army, but also disrespecting them by showing no loyalty at all for all of their sacrifices. Joab have to correct David to his face. Instead of grumbling about it to others, he had the guts to tell the king the wring thing he has done and how to correct and rectify his mistake. He did not capitalize on the mistake of David, he helped David correct the situation. A man without loyalty will use that to turn the hearts of the people away from the king. A loyal person will speak directly to the king and have him fix his mistakes. 6 April