More Going On Than Donkeys

Then Saul approached Samuel in the gate and said, "Please tell me where the seer's house is."  Samuel answered Saul and said, "I am the seer. Go up before me to the high place, for you shall eat with me today; and in the morning I will let you go, and will tell you all that is on your mind.  As for your donkeys which were lost three days ago, do not set your mind on them, for they have been found. And for whom is all that is desirable in Israel? Is it not for you and for all your father's household?"  Saul replied, "Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak to me in this way?"  Then Samuel took Saul and his servant and brought them into the hall and gave them a place at the head of those who were invited, who were about thirty men. (1 Samuel 9:18-22 NASB)

 Saul and his servant go up to find Samuel in the city where they wind up while looking for his father's donkeys.  As they ask Samuel for the way to find Samuel, his answer to them has to be baffling.  They are trying to get some idea of what to do about their quest to find lost donkeys.  Samuel's answer reveals that there is a lot more going on than lost donkeys.

I read this, and it's easy to blaze right over it without thinking about what was in Saul's mind.  He gets such a bad rap in Scripture that we tend to discount him and not wonder that deeply about the events from his perspective.  That's really a dangerous error to make, because I find that I can fall into similar traps as he did very easily.  I need to learn from him what not to do, what I can do differently to avoid the things he did to finally become rejected by God.

So, here, Saul is baffled.  It is evident in his response to Samuel.  But I wonder about what else is in his mind.  he doesn't seem to mind eating with Samuel, doesn't have any qualms about eating the choice cut of meet, or spending the evening with Samuel.  He seems to be willing to forget donkeys at the moment, and go with his circumstances.  So he is baffled, but not put off. 

I have to remember his pedigree here.  He's handsome, so he's probably used to getting attention.  He's tall, so he rarely escapes attention.  His dad is a "mighty man of valor" so he's used to tough brave talk, fighting, and so on.  So, on the surface, yes, he's from the smallest tribe, but Benjamin was also a "preferred" tribe since Benjamin was a favorite of Jacob.  Sure his family may be the smallest of Benjamin, but his dad is known, and so is he.  My point is that Saul may be baffled, but he's probably not entirely out of his element.

I'm not sure why this is important, or even if it is, but I want to spend some time making sure.  Do I need to learn that I should be more uncomfortable with attention?  Do I need to be less judgmental when I run across someone who isn't uncomfortable with attention?  Is Saul wrong here?  Is he demonstrating a lack of humility?  Should I be wary of such attention?  It's not like "acting humble" works.  I'm either humble or I'm not in a given situation.

I guess what I take away from this is not to jump to conclusions too quickly.  If, looking at this situation from the perspective of what I know about his later failures, I say that here he's showing a lack of humility, then I also am being harder on him than I would be on myself.  I know my context, how I change and learn from one event to the next.  Why not give this character the same opportunity?  What if he's simply going with the flow, which is part of his undoing later.  That's a very different problem than pride.  Sometimes it's not a "problem" at all; sometimes it's a sign of faith.  The difference is in the context.

The thing is that I really don't know. The question is, can I be okay with that, and not try to pretend I do know?  So often the context is missing, so how could I really know?  But I bow to the idol I create of how I think others think of me, and try to play the educated person, the knowledgeable person.  Whether I pull it off or not is irrelevant.  That I try is the idolatrous practice indicating an idol in my life; something that has replaced my Master in my heart.  Defeating this evil, that brings true humility, and I won't have to act humble, it will simply be part of who I am.  That would be nice.  Now where did I put my idol-smashing hammer?  It was just here.

Remind Me Why They Have a King?

Now a day before Saul's coming, the LORD had revealed this to Samuel saying, "About this time tomorrow I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be prince over My people Israel; and he will deliver My people from the hand of the Philistines. For I have regarded My people, because their cry has come to Me." (1 Samuel 9:15-16 NASB)

In the previous chapter, Samuel wrangles with the people's demand for a king, and what that means for the country and for him.  Here, the king is coming, and Samuel is about to discover him.  But the reasoning from God is now different.  It is more his response to the problem of the Philistines, which another passage prior said weren't a problem during Samuel's life.  It's not a huge issue, but it's worth looking at for a simple reason: it appears contradictory.

In 1 Samuel 7: 13 it says that the Philistines were subdued and did not come anymore within the border of Israel.  And the hand of Yahweh was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.  Why then in 1 Samuel 9:16 does God now say, "...and he will deliver My people from the hand of the Philistines.  For I have regarded My people, because their cry has come to Me."  These seem to be at odds.  Or are they?

When the Philistines are defeated in chapter 7, Samuel is setting up a stone, not out there whacking Philistines.  God did the real work, and the people chased after the retreating foe.  Samuel really wasn't some strategic or tactical combat leader.  Sure he was effective, but only in keeping the people tied to God.  God did the "rescuing" from their enemies.

When they come to Samuel in chapter 8, they want a king so they can be like the other nations.  There are lots of "nations" made of single cities, and several made up of several kings, but the commonality was that these kings ruled out of success in combat.  It was different to have Samuel, a "nerd" leader, who didn't lead into combat.  They wanted a "battle chief".  So, God finds one for them.

So, it's not that the people weren't delivered from the hand of the Philistines at that point, it was that God has decided to acquiesce to their request and deliver them a different way.  Saul would also deliver God's people from the hand of the Philistines.  For their cry was not that God deliver them from the Philistines but that God grant them the credibility among their neighbors that is brought by a military king.

I wonder if I sometimes get what I ask for because my Master has "regarded" me and my "cry" has come to Him as well.  Where it's not that I need something, or that I'm in any danger, but that my Master has heard me and gives what I want.  It seems dangerous, but only in a limited fashion.  I can only assume that my Master would give me something that is not contrary to His purpose for me, and that will continue to bring glory to His name.  I may not like how these things are accomplished, but they will not fail because my Master has given me what I asked for.  I can also assume that when He doesn't give me what I want, that what I want does not accomplish those things; at least not the way He has chosen to bring them about. 

This does a few things for me.  First, I can ask without fear.  What I ask will never thwart my Master.  Second I can be sure what comes my way, whether I asked for it or not, fits in His purpose and brings Him glory.  If I don't get my request, what I do get is what fits His design more.  These are comforting things to know.

What Shall We Bring?

1Sa 9:5-8
5 When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to his servant who was with him, “Come, and let us return, or else my father will cease to be concerned about the donkeys and will become anxious for us.” 6 He said to him, “Behold now, there is a man of God in this city, and the man is held in honor; all that he says surely comes true. Now let us go there, perhaps he can tell us about our journey on which we have set out.” 7 Then Saul said to his servant, “But behold, if we go, what shall we bring the man? For the bread is gone from our sack and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What do we have?” 8 The servant answered Saul again and said, “Behold, I have in my hand a fourth of a shekel of silver; I will give it to the man of God and he will tell us our way.”
(NASBStr)

Saul and his 'boy' had been through several regions looking for the donkeys of Saul's father. Saul wants to return, but his servant mentions the 'seer' in this city (Zuph?), and they decide to ask him. But Saul is concerned that they have no gift to bring. All they want to do is find out which way to travel, but want to be able to pay for the service.

How often do I simply assume what I want from my pastor is just part of my normal tithe and offerings? Samuel received from the circuit he made judging, he participated in sacrifices, and was well supplied from his 'services', why did Saul assume he had to pay him?

It is possible this is how Samuel's sons started taking bribes and possible 'corruption' was just an assumed part of a seers role. But I suspect that there was more involved. Saul and his boy seem to understand that Samuel lived off the services he provided, and that those who received the services contributed to that living.

So in my participation at my place of worship, among my fellow worshippers, do I contribute to the living of those living off the service they provide to me? Or do I assume what I tithe is sufficient for both my Master's work and my Master's servants?

Don't get me wrong, it is necessary to tithe, but isn't that to my Master? What if whatever is above the tithe is for His servants living off their service? There are passages which say that the portion of the tribe of Levi was the tithes and sacrifices of the people. But doesn't that just mean they live off their service rather than stipulate that's all they get, the tithes? What about the offerings that aren't tithes? What about the services they provide in teaching the people? They decide on holiness issues and inquire of God on the people's behalf. What about these services which don't have a 'share' per se?

I think I can grow in this area. I think I can widen my view of my participation in contributing to the living of those living off their service to my Master. I think this will only glorify my Master more. I suspect blessings await me, favor from my Master, if I grow in this area. They are His servants; how can helping them not bring favor from my Master? Don't I receive an immediate benefit just in the service they provide to my Master? In a sense I'm just returning the favor.

The Essence of a King

1Sa 9:1-2
1 Now there was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a Benjamite, a mighty man of valor. 2 He had a son whose name was Saul, a choice and handsome man, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel; from his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people.
(NASBStr)

God says that, while man looks at the appearance of a person, He looks at the heart. Often, though, His choices seem to coincide with what people look at, the appearance.

Here Saul's pedigree is excellent, of a favored tribe, son of a mighty man of valor. His appearance is excellent, tall, dark,  and handsome. He is the epitome of a king. But does he have the essence?

I have to go back to the fact he is my Master's choice. His heart must have held the essence of a king if my Master chose him. The story goes that Saul fails, but that is not because my Master chose poorly. The people agreed to Saul, they didn't chose him. Samuel only gives them one choice. The God of Israel chose Saul. So what happens to him is not a product of his appearance, nor is it his pedigree. His failure is not because he didn't have the heart of a king.

I have to accept that my Master's choices are right, regardless of what they look like on the front end, or on the backend. I can't judge my Master's choices or actions by 'pragmatic' standards either. Neither can I decide on what was my Master's will only by 'what works' as if only what succeeds in my mind is his will.

What I learn from Saul's pedigree and appearance is that what see on the outside can't be what I use to evaluate usefulness to my Master. Nor can I use their success or failure to determine whether they were called in the first place.

Paul's said that servants of my Master stand or fall in His eyes, not mine. And that my Master enables them to stand. If they fall, it's the servant's choices, not the choice of my Master on the front end. I need to understand that as I serve my church, and as I see myself. It helps to support my church leaders, and see myself as my Master sees me.