Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon with Shimei from the Bible

Have you ever played the game "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon?" The game is based on the idea that any actor can be connected to Kevin Bacon through their film roles in six steps or less. But what if we tried to connect a character from the Bible to Kevin Bacon? Let’s see if we can do it with Shimei.

Step 1: Shimei to King David
Shimei was a member of the tribe of Benjamin during the reign of King David. In 2 Samuel 16, Shimei curses and throws stones at David as he flees from his son Absalom. However, when David returns to Jerusalem and regains his throne, he spares Shimei’s life.

Step 2: King David to Bathsheba
David’s reign is marked by both triumph and tragedy, including his affair with Bathsheba, the wife of one of his soldiers. After Bathsheba becomes pregnant, David arranges for her husband to be killed in battle. Eventually, David and Bathsheba have a son named Solomon.

Step 3: Bathsheba to King Solomon
Solomon becomes a king in his own right after David’s death. He is known for his wisdom and wealth, as well as his building projects such as the Temple in Jerusalem.

Step 4: King Solomon to Queen of Sheba
The Queen of Sheba visits Solomon to test his wisdom and is impressed by his answers to her questions. According to Ethiopian tradition, the Queen of Sheba and Solomon have a son together named Menelik I, who becomes the first emperor of Ethiopia.

Step 5: Queen of Sheba to Morgan Freeman
In the 1995 film "Outbreak," Morgan Freeman plays General Billy Ford, who is in charge of containing a deadly virus that breaks out in a California town. The film also stars Rene Russo, who appeared with Kevin Bacon in the 1995 film "Get Shorty."

Step 6: Morgan Freeman to Kevin Bacon
Morgan Freeman and Kevin Bacon appeared in the 2002 film "The Sum of All Fears." In the film, Bacon plays CIA analyst Jack Ryan, who is tasked with preventing a nuclear war between the United States and Russia.

So there you have it – a six-step connection from Shimei to Kevin Bacon! It’s interesting to see how history and culture can provide connections between seemingly unrelated people and events.

In the Bible, Shimei serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of anger and pride. After he curses David, he repents and begs for forgiveness. David spares his life, but warns him that he will be punished if he breaks his promise to stay in Jerusalem. Unfortunately, Shimei later disobeyed David’s command and was put to death by Solomon (1 Kings 2:36-46).

As Proverbs 16:18 reminds us, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." May we always strive to be humble and obedient, like the faithful servants of God such as Joseph, Ruth, and Daniel.