How Did We Get That Guy?

"But you have today rejected your God, who delivers you from all your calamities and your distresses; yet you have said, 'No, but set a king over us!' Now therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans." Thus Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. Then he brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the Matrite family was taken. And Saul the son of Kish was taken; but when they looked for him, he could not be found. Therefore they inquired further of the LORD, "Has the man come here yet?" So the LORD said, "Behold, he is hiding himself by the baggage." (1 Samuel 10:19-22 NASB)

That Saul failed as king is not up for dispute.  God rejects him, and there are clear reasons for His doing so.  But sometimes we are so enamored with our perceptions and assumptions about God's qualities that fail to accept His qualities as they really are.  In this instance, the quality of God that He knows everything past and present begs the question, "Why choose Saul in the first place?" 

Believe it or not (more like you will believe it if you've been around "church people" for any length of time), this is a hotly contested issue.  People have strong opinions about it and woe to you should you disagree them. To disagree with them is to profane the very character of God; as if it is up to a single individual to protect.  It doesn't seem to phase them that there are so many of these "opinions" that offer different options, which also strive to protect the character of God. 

I suppose I just wonder if God simply chooses people, places them where they have the opportunity to succeed, and then uses their success or failure equally to achieve His ends.  Is it really possible that one guy can totally derail the plan of the One having created all this?  It seems unlikely to me.  Had Saul relented in his manic attempt to retain the monarchy and transitioned it over to David, what would have been different?  Perhaps the country would have had 12 more years of David as king, Abner might have survived (hard call on that one), and the country would have enjoyed more success over the Philistines.

But would David have gone to the Philistines?  Would he then have obtained the technology of iron?  Would he have been at the battle of Mt. Gilboa where Israel was defeated, and had he, would he have survived?  There were some important advantages that David gained on the run from Saul: the core of his fighting men, iron, and an insiders understanding of Israel's greatest foe.  In this instance, the way it played out, God accomplished some things through David that were of tremendous value. 

I suppose the lesson I learn here is that my Master's plans are not in danger from incomprehensible choices on His part.  Someone or something may sound ridiculous, it may fail by my estimation, and yet it cannot cause my Master's plan to fail.  The thing is, I don't have to understand it; that's the hard part.  I want to have an opinion, and fight about it, and defend the character of my Master, but He really doesn't need me to do anything other than obey Him.  His character is what it is, and will never conform to my rational faculties.  Nor will my rational faculties ever be able to encompass all of Who He is.  And I need to be okay with that.

Humble Beginnings = Good Beginnings

When he had finished prophesying, he came to the high place.  Now Saul's uncle said to him and his servant, "Where did you go?" And he said, "To look for the donkeys. When we saw that they could not be found, we went to Samuel."  Saul's uncle said, "Please tell me what Samuel said to you."  So Saul said to his uncle, "He told us plainly that the donkeys had been found." But he did not tell him about the matter of the kingdom which Samuel had mentioned. (1 Samuel 10:13-16 NASB)

Saul had a wild day that day.  On his way back to his father, he and his servant met people who confirmed the word of Samuel that their donkeys had been found, gave them bread for their journey, and finally Saul was "possessed" of the Spirit of God, and prophesied with a company of prophets.  He winds up at a high place of worship, and there his uncle finds him.  He has been told that he will be his peoples first king, and the three meetings confirm the word of Samuel.  But he's not sure.

There are a lot of problems with Saul's character that come out in later chapters, but there is much that indicates he at least started well.  The weight of ruling Israel weighed heavy on him at the outset, and he wasn't one to rush in and take the reigns lightly or eagerly.   Later they can't find him because he was hiding among the baggage.

In a sense he is a reluctant king.  In the sense that he is, it speaks well of him.  He didn't seize power, he didn't expect the acclaim, he didn't jump at the opportunity when offered.  He took the role very seriously, and I believe, when his history is examined, he does so all through his reign.  It may be that those reluctant to take the reigns of leadership are better suited to do so.  Yet not every great leader in Scripture fits this characteristic.  Saul does.

Interestingly, where he is reluctant to take it, he is manic to keep it.  Really, his fight with David is over whether or not he will have a "dynasty" not remain king.  I believe he understands that David will not overthrow him, but he is equally clear that his son will not become king with David around.  Yet his beginning is very humble, and not in show, but in character.

I learn from this that humility is important to have at the outset of a task or role my Master gives me, but it is also important to maintain.  I don't do so well at this, especially as success comes in the midst of the task assigned to me.  It's often easy to become comfortable, the confident, and then to take the task for granted, as if I'm either owed or have earned the role. 

Saul missed that his role was less about him and more about God and His people.  I will be more happy and experience more peace when I remember that my roles and tasks given by my Master are always about Him and His people rather than about me.  If I can maintain that understanding and cling to it throughout the role and task, then I will be able to maintain that right standing before my Master; the standing where humility is just part of who I am rather than a characteristic I display only at the outset.  This is especially difficult for me at work, and it unfortunately shows in my attitude.  I need to readdress this.