1 Samuel 9:1-2 ESV
There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. 2 And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
1 Samuel 9:21 ESV
Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”
Saul’s journey started humble. When God had told Samuel that he would meet a young man from Benjamin to anoint king, it was plain to see why he would be chosen. From a small tribe yes, but a rich father. Tall. Handsome. Strong. Everything looked good on the outside. And when Samuel first talks to him Saul is confused by his words. “Why would you talk to me like this and give me the honour of eating with you? You don’t even know who I am. No one knows who I am.”
Saul was humble, but not because he knew God’s true place, but because he knew his place in the big picture and didn’t like it. Sure, daddy had money, but they were from an unimportant family. He was humble out of resignation, not out of intention. And this is where his start seemed like he had a good heart, but because the foundation was not built on the right thing everything soon unravelled. Because when he all of a sudden got authority, got power, got real influence that “matched his appearance”, humility was gone. The one thing that actually would have kept him in the position of king wasn’t a part of his character.
If he had truly been humble, and stayed humble, he wouldn’t spend his time trying to prove himself. Trying to keep up the appearance of king. Trying to keep people happy with him. Trying to win extra favour instead of receiving it from God and living in it. Trying to make things happen so that he wouldn’t appear as a failure instead of trusting in God’s timing and provision. You could point to self-esteem - or lack there of - too, but again the root of that is from the resignation rather than intentionality of his humility. Resignation that he wouldn’t get the respect he deserved. Resignation that he would always be looked down on because of his family’s place. Resignation that even though he “deserved” more, he would never get it.
David had no problem being humble. People throwing rocks at him and cursing him out, “if it’s God’s will so be it, if it isn’t then God will deal with it - I don’t need to prove my place”. His brothers accusing him of pride and trying to get the king’s (Saul’s) daughter’s hand “I’m not trying to do anything, I’m just asking a question because this giant freak is insulting our God.” (David famously rejected the offer of Saul’s daughter remember). Being berated by the daughter of Saul he did end up marrying because he was in priests clothes and not acting like a king “I’ll become even more undignified than this to honour and worship God”.
If we want to live in the calling God has for us, hold onto the favour and grace He gives us, we need to stay humble by intention. If pride comes in it will be our downfall. If it’s only out of resignation, once we get lifted by God we’ll be too proud to give it up - we’ll be doing everything we can to hold onto it. Learn from Saul, choose humility.
There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. 2 And he had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
1 Samuel 9:21 ESV
Saul answered, “Am I not a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel? And is not my clan the humblest of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then have you spoken to me in this way?”
Saul’s journey started humble. When God had told Samuel that he would meet a young man from Benjamin to anoint king, it was plain to see why he would be chosen. From a small tribe yes, but a rich father. Tall. Handsome. Strong. Everything looked good on the outside. And when Samuel first talks to him Saul is confused by his words. “Why would you talk to me like this and give me the honour of eating with you? You don’t even know who I am. No one knows who I am.”
Saul was humble, but not because he knew God’s true place, but because he knew his place in the big picture and didn’t like it. Sure, daddy had money, but they were from an unimportant family. He was humble out of resignation, not out of intention. And this is where his start seemed like he had a good heart, but because the foundation was not built on the right thing everything soon unravelled. Because when he all of a sudden got authority, got power, got real influence that “matched his appearance”, humility was gone. The one thing that actually would have kept him in the position of king wasn’t a part of his character.
If he had truly been humble, and stayed humble, he wouldn’t spend his time trying to prove himself. Trying to keep up the appearance of king. Trying to keep people happy with him. Trying to win extra favour instead of receiving it from God and living in it. Trying to make things happen so that he wouldn’t appear as a failure instead of trusting in God’s timing and provision. You could point to self-esteem - or lack there of - too, but again the root of that is from the resignation rather than intentionality of his humility. Resignation that he wouldn’t get the respect he deserved. Resignation that he would always be looked down on because of his family’s place. Resignation that even though he “deserved” more, he would never get it.
David had no problem being humble. People throwing rocks at him and cursing him out, “if it’s God’s will so be it, if it isn’t then God will deal with it - I don’t need to prove my place”. His brothers accusing him of pride and trying to get the king’s (Saul’s) daughter’s hand “I’m not trying to do anything, I’m just asking a question because this giant freak is insulting our God.” (David famously rejected the offer of Saul’s daughter remember). Being berated by the daughter of Saul he did end up marrying because he was in priests clothes and not acting like a king “I’ll become even more undignified than this to honour and worship God”.
If we want to live in the calling God has for us, hold onto the favour and grace He gives us, we need to stay humble by intention. If pride comes in it will be our downfall. If it’s only out of resignation, once we get lifted by God we’ll be too proud to give it up - we’ll be doing everything we can to hold onto it. Learn from Saul, choose humility.