Sometimes, reading the Bible teaches us what not to do. Often, the key lesson from certain parts of the Bible is simply: “Don’t behave like this.”
Today’s Bible passage is filled with examples of what not to do. For example, leaders should not erect monuments to themselves.
And Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning. And it was told Samuel, “Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set up a monument for himself and turned and passed on and went down to Gilgal” (1 Samuel 15:12).
When I think about leaders who build monuments to themselves out of pride, I’m reminded of what happened to Herod in the book of Acts.
And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!”
Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last (Acts 12:22-23).
It’s wise to look at the examples of Herod and Saul. They show us that Paul was right when he warned against pride and self-aggrandizement.
Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall (1 Corinthians 10:12).
Dodging Responsibility
The second lesson is to take responsibility for our actions instead of making excuses.
And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed be you to the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord.”
And Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen that I hear?”
Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites, for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen to sacrifice to the Lord your God, and the rest we have devoted to destruction” (1 Samuel 15:13-15).
In this part of the chapter, Saul said he did what God told him to do. But when Samuel asked why he could hear sheep and oxen, Saul said the people brought them and planned to give them to God.
This is a clear example of making excuses and avoiding responsibility.
Samuel kept repeating what God had told him to do. Meanwhile, Saul kept blaming the people and dodging responsibility.
When I was in seminary, my counseling professor introduced me to a book, Reality Therapy, by William Glasser. Dr. Glasser believed that many psychological disorders could be healed if people learned to take responsibility for their behavior.
As a young doctor, he worked with patients in a VA hospital’s mental ward who were considered hopeless. He gradually gave these men more responsibilities. Over time, nearly all of them improved enough to leave the hospital and reintegrate into society.
Glasser described “responsibility” as response-ability. Responsibility means having the power to choose. Everyone can choose what is right.
Saul gave his power to others and his own impulses when he refused to take responsibility for his actions. When we don’t accept responsibility for what we do, we become helpless as well.
We give up our ability to act and substitute correct behavior for excuses.
God’s Decision
Saul’s bad behavior led to a well-known Bible passage where God pronounced His judgment on the king.
And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king” (1 Samuel 15:22-23).
The best thing to do is to act responsibly and follow God’s guidance. Obeying Him is more important than any sacrifice we can offer. Biblical listening means not just hearing God, but also following through with His words.
On the flip side, rebellion and rejecting God’s authority are equated with some of the most serious sins in the Bible. Saul’s actions led to him being rejected as king.
Let’s learn from Saul’s negative behavior and choose to respond in obedience to God’s directions.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed this passage on YouTube today.
Real Voices 