1 Samuel 15:7-11: a reflection

7Saul struck the Amalekites, from Havilah as you go to Shur, which is before Egypt. 8He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. 9But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, of the cattle, of the fat calves, of the lambs, and all that was good, and were not willing to utterly destroy them; but everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. 10Then the LORD’s word came to Samuel, saying, 11“It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king, for he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments.” Samuel was angry; and he cried to the LORD all night.

God had given Saul a clear command, and Saul obeyed it, but only partly; and his partial obedience is exposed as no true obedience at all. He was to devote the Amalekites and their livestock entirely to destruction; but Saul and the people spared the king and the best of the animals, keeping what was good and destroying only what was worthless. He obeyed selectively, keeping back the part he wished to keep, and it grieved God: it grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king, for he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments. Saul thought he had obeyed; but partial, selective obedience, keeping back the part we prefer, is not the obedience God asks. To obey in part while keeping back what we choose is to disobey, however much we have done. Selective obedience that keeps the best for itself is not true obedience.

Notice how Saul's obedience failed: it was partial and selective. He did obey, in part; he struck the Amalekites, destroyed the worthless things. But he kept back the best, sparing the king and the good animals, obeying only as far as suited him. And this partial obedience God counted as a turning back from following him, a failure to perform his commandments. Saul may have felt he had substantially obeyed; but keeping back the part he preferred made his obedience no true obedience. God does not ask for selective obedience, the keeping of the commands we like while setting aside the rest, or the obeying in part while holding back what we choose to keep. Partial obedience, however much it does, is disobedience in what it withholds. True obedience does not pick and choose; it does not keep back the best for itself. What we withhold reveals whether we are truly obeying.

That is worth taking to heart, for partial, selective obedience, keeping back what we prefer, is not the obedience God asks. We can obey God in part, doing much of what he asks while quietly keeping back the part we wish to keep, and think ourselves obedient; but Saul's partial obedience, sparing the best, was counted as turning back from following God. God does not ask for selective obedience but for full obedience; what we withhold reveals whether we truly obey. Do not offer God a partial, selective obedience, keeping back the part you prefer; obey him fully, as Saul did not. Offer God full obedience rather than a partial, selective obedience that keeps back the part you prefer, remembering that Saul's sparing of the best was counted as turning back from following the Lord; for partial obedience, however much it does, is disobedience in what it withholds, and God does not ask us to obey only as far as suits us, keeping back what we choose, but to obey him fully, so that what we withhold does not betray a heart that has not truly obeyed.

Lord, you had given Saul a clear command, and Saul obeyed it, but only partly; and his partial obedience is exposed as no true obedience at all. He was to devote the Amalekites and their livestock entirely to destruction; but Saul and the people spared the king and the best of the animals, keeping what was good and destroying only what was worthless. He obeyed selectively, keeping back the part he wished to keep, and it grieved you: it grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king, for he has turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments. Saul thought he had obeyed; but partial, selective obedience is not the obedience you ask. Show me how Saul's obedience failed: it was partial and selective. He did obey, in part; but he kept back the best, sparing the king and the good animals, obeying only as far as suited him. And this partial obedience you counted as a turning back from following you. Saul may have felt he had substantially obeyed; but keeping back the part he preferred made his obedience no true obedience. You do not ask for selective obedience, the keeping of the commands we like while setting aside the rest. Take that to my heart, for partial, selective obedience, keeping back what I prefer, is not the obedience you ask. I can obey you in part, doing much of what you ask while quietly keeping back the part I wish to keep, and think myself obedient; but Saul's partial obedience was counted as turning back from following you. What I withhold reveals whether I truly obey. Keep me from offering you a partial, selective obedience that keeps back the part I prefer; help me obey you fully, Lord, as Saul did not, that what I withhold may not betray a heart that has not truly obeyed.