1 Samuel 15:22-29: a reflection

22Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the LORD’s voice? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry and teraphim. Because you have rejected the LORD’s word, he has also rejected you from being king.” 24Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. 25Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD.” 26Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you; for you have rejected the LORD’s word, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.” 27As Samuel turned around to go away, Saul grabbed the skirt of his robe, and it tore. 28Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. 29Also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent.”

When Saul is confronted with his disobedience, he offers a revealing excuse: I have sinned, he admits, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. Saul had disobeyed God's clear command because he feared the people and gave in to what they wanted; he obeyed the voice of the people rather than the voice of God. His fear of the people, his desire to please them, led him to disobey God. He valued the approval of the people more than the command of God, and it led him into sin.

Notice what led Saul into disobedience: fear of the people, desire to please them. He knew God's command; but he feared the people, wanted their approval, and gave in to their voice rather than obeying God's. The fear of people, the desire to please them, overrode his obedience to God; he obeyed the people's voice instead of God's. His man-pleasing, his fear of the people's disapproval, led him to disobey God. It was not that he did not know God's will; it was that he feared the people more than he feared God.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can be led to disobey God by the fear of people and the desire to please them. We can know God's will, yet disobey it because we fear people's disapproval, want their approval, give in to what they want rather than what God commands, as Saul feared the people and obeyed their voice. The fear of people can override our obedience to God. Do not let the fear of people and the desire to please them lead you to disobey God, giving in to their voice rather than his; Saul feared the people and disobeyed God, to his ruin. Fear God more than people, obeying his voice rather than giving in to the fear of people's disapproval, as Saul failed to do; for the fear of people that leads us to disobey God is a snare, and we are to obey God's voice rather than the voice of people we fear, unlike Saul, who feared the people and obeyed their voice.

Lord, when Saul is confronted with his disobedience, he offers a revealing excuse: I have sinned, he admits, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. Saul had disobeyed your clear command because he feared the people and gave in to what they wanted; he obeyed the voice of the people rather than your voice. His fear of the people, his desire to please them, led him to disobey you. He valued the approval of the people more than your command. Show me what led Saul into disobedience: fear of the people, desire to please them. He knew your command; but he feared the people, wanted their approval, and gave in to their voice rather than obeying yours. The fear of people overrode his obedience to you. It was not that he did not know your will; it was that he feared the people more than he feared you. Take that to my heart, for I too can be led to disobey you by the fear of people and the desire to please them. I can know your will, yet disobey it because I fear people's disapproval, want their approval, give in to what they want rather than what you command, as Saul feared the people. The fear of people can override my obedience to you. Keep me from letting the fear of people and the desire to please them lead me to disobey you, giving in to their voice rather than yours; Saul feared the people and disobeyed you, to his ruin. Help me fear you more than people, Lord, obeying your voice rather than giving in to the fear of people's disapproval.