Frankly, he was my third favorite Monkee

But I hasten to add that Peter Tork was a very strong third. Arguably the Monkees' overall best musician, his hippie charisma (sort of a real-life Maynard G. Krebs) made him more interesting than the manic Mickey Dolenz whom I preferred during my misbegotten youth. His banjo licks and laconic vocals made many a B-side as worthy as the titular single. If you haven't heard the spoken word piece Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky, you haven't heard Peter Tork.

Go listen to it now. I can't think of a better tribute.

The handmaids understood the Lord's plan

In 2 Samuel 6:20-23, Michal accuses her husband, King David, of embarrassing himself by freely and ecstatically worshiping the Lord in public. Indeed, even the lowest of the low, the "handmaids of [David's] servants," witnessed his shameless, empty and foolish behavior. By implication, Michal's father, the deceased King Saul, never would have opened himself up to mockery in that way.

It was the women, however, who first recognized that David was greater than Saul (1 Samuel 18:6-9). This provoked Saul's envy and led to the sequence of events by which the Lord would replace him with David on Israel's throne. Therefore, David was wise to put his confidence in the opinion of handmaids over that of Saul's daughter (2 Samuel 6:21-22).

Godly discernment is far more important than royal blood or social position.