1 Samuel 28:20-25: a reflection

20Then Saul fell immediately his full length on the earth, and was terrified, because of Samuel’s words. There was no strength in him, for he had eaten no bread all day long or all night long. 21The woman came to Saul and saw that he was very troubled, and said to him, “Behold, your servant has listened to your voice, and I have put my life in my hand, and have listened to your words which you spoke to me. 22Now therefore, please listen also to the voice of your servant, and let me set a morsel of bread before you. Eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.” 23But he refused, and said, “I will not eat.” But his servants, together with the woman, constrained him; and he listened to their voice. So he arose from the earth and sat on the bed. 24The woman had a fattened calf in the house. She hurried and killed it; and she took flour and kneaded it, and baked unleavened bread of it. 25She brought it before Saul and before his servants, and they ate. Then they rose up and went away that night.

Saul, having abandoned God and now consulting a medium in his desperation, collapses in terror and exhaustion, with no strength left, having eaten nothing. And notice the unexpected kindness shown to this broken, ruined man. The woman, and then his servants, urge him to eat, to take some strength for the road ahead; and when he refuses, they gently press him until he consents, and she prepares a meal for him. To Saul, undone by his own choices, at the lowest point of his life, they show a simple, human compassion.

Notice the compassion shown to Saul in his brokenness. He was a ruined man, brought low by his own long disobedience, terrified and without strength; and there was little he could do for those who helped him. Yet the woman and his servants did not turn away from him in his collapse; they showed him a simple kindness, pressing food on him, tending to his need, caring for him in his lowest moment. They did not withhold compassion because he was ruined by his own doing; they showed kindness to a broken man.

That compassion for the broken, even for those undone by their own choices, is worth taking to heart. We can be slow to show compassion to those who have brought their troubles on themselves, feeling they do not deserve it; but the woman and servants showed kindness to Saul, though his ruin was his own doing. There are people around us broken and low, some by their own choices, who need a simple human compassion. Do not withhold kindness from the broken because their troubles are of their own making; show compassion to those who are low, as the woman and servants showed it to the ruined Saul. When you meet someone brought low, even by their own choices, offer them the simple kindness they need, rather than turning away because they do not seem to deserve it; for compassion to the broken, even to those undone by their own doing, is a mercy, as the kindness shown to Saul in his lowest hour was a mercy to a ruined man.

Lord, Saul, having abandoned you and now consulting a medium in his desperation, collapses in terror and exhaustion, with no strength left. And notice the unexpected kindness shown to this broken, ruined man. The woman, and then his servants, urge him to eat, to take some strength for the road; and when he refuses, they gently press him until he consents, and she prepares a meal for him. To Saul, undone by his own choices, at the lowest point of his life, they show a simple, human compassion. Show me that compassion. He was a ruined man, brought low by his own long disobedience; and there was little he could do for those who helped him. Yet they did not turn away from him in his collapse; they showed him a simple kindness. They did not withhold compassion because he was ruined by his own doing. Take that compassion to my heart, for I can be slow to show kindness to those who have brought their troubles on themselves, feeling they do not deserve it; but the woman and servants showed kindness to Saul, though his ruin was his own doing. There are people around me broken and low, some by their own choices, who need a simple human compassion. Keep me from withholding kindness from the broken because their troubles are of their own making; help me show compassion to those who are low, Lord, as the woman and servants showed it to the ruined Saul. When I meet someone brought low, even by their own choices, help me offer them the simple kindness they need.