And Samuel said, Hath 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 hearken than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness
is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord,
he hath also rejected thee from being king.
And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have
transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words: because I feared the
people, and obeyed their voice.
1 Samuel 15:22-24 KJV
Obedience is better than sacrifice. What was Saul’s reason
for disobeying? He was afraid of displeasing the people so he obeyed the people’s
voice instead of obeying God’s voice. If you want to please everybody then you
cannot be a leader even if you have leadership qualities. Disobedience is a
critical issue because it’s rebellion against God. Saul’s reasons may seem
logical before breaking the principles is even worse. God does not delight in
burnt offerings and sacrifices. God delights in our simple obedience.
Being obedient does not mean we do not have a voice or
opinions. Nobody needs to be a yes man or a zombie who cannot think or reason
independently. God has given us the freedom we need but we must combine our
freedom with wisdom. Being obedient prevents us from unintended consequences of
life. Obeying God from a position of understanding is far better than trial and
error. Parents want their children to obey them but the parents have to create
room for understanding or else the children will rebel and become so stubborn.
God wants us to obey out of love for Him and not out of compulsion. When we
understand the need for obedience then obeying God becomes a way of life.
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