Links for today’s readings:
Read: 1 Samuel 13 Listen: (3:54) Read: 1 John 1 Listen: (1:28)
Scripture Focus: 1 Samuel 13.13-14
13 “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”
Reflection: Eyes Wide Open
By John Tillman
Samuel noticed the first, early signs of corruption and responded appropriately.
Samuel knew something about replacing corrupt leadership. He had already done it. Samuel replaced Eli and his sons.
We make a mistake when we think of corruption as “doing wicked things.” Doing wicked things is criminal or sinful. (Not all wicked things are crimes.) Corruption is allowing wicked things to occur, whether by inaction or by protecting those doing them. Corruption doesn’t have to be motivated by profit or greed. It is often motivated by a desire to keep up the appearance of righteousness and not lose face.
For example, Eli did not share in his son’s wicked deeds. But he failed to publicly accuse them or remove them from service, and he continued to profit from their grift. His passivity became complicity.
Samuel could have fallen into this same mistake. Samuel loved Saul and promoted him as king. Saul was a strong fighter against dangerous enemies. Samuel might have felt his reputation and his nation’s safety were wrapped up in Saul’s success. Any damaging critique could be disastrous.
One can imagine Samuel saying, “Saul isn’t perfect, but he’s God’s man and we should support him especially in this dangerous time. We need a strong leader.” We’ve certainly heard similar statements about “imperfect” leaders in both religious and political settings.
Samuel, however, did not repeat Eli’s mistake. Eli had grown blind, spiritually and physically, Samuel’s eyes stayed wide open.
But isn’t Samuel being a bit fussy here? What’s the big deal? Isn’t making a sacrifice good? After all, Samuel was late. The troops needed a spiritual morale boost. Saul needed God’s blessing and protection. Isn’t this all Samuel’s fault? Some commentators even suggest Samuel’s lateness was a test or a trap for Saul.
What we might call “fussy” was prophetic. Whether his lateness was intentional or merely God’s sovereignty, Samuel saw, with God’s help, into Saul’s heart. What he saw there was not strength but fear. Not righteousness but the appearance of it.
Samuel avoided Eli’s error. Will we? Let us pray that we will not grow spiritually blind like Eli but keep our eyes open for insight. Let us not keep up appearances of righteousness by failing to confront wickedness. Let us not stay passive or be complicit in wrongdoing. Let us not stay silent even when those doing wicked things are those we love.
Divine Hours Prayer: The Refrain for the Morning Lessons
Blessed be the Lord day by day, the God of our salvation, who bears our burdens.
He is our God, the God of our salvation; Tod is the Lord, by whom we escape death. — Psalm 68.19-20
– Divine Hours prayers from The Divine Hours: Prayers for Summer
by Phyllis Tickle
Read more: Prophets Like Moses
Most of the time, prophets’ “visions” are simple observations of human wickedness.
Read more: Tortured Prophets Department
Why do we torture the poets, prophets, preachers, and protestors? Why do we allow position and power to blind us from the truth?