"But he who hates reproof is STUPID" (Prov. 12:1).
You know... we often shoot back, "Don't tell me what to do!" Or, "Don't boss me!" Now, we may not verbally say that to God (or others), but, honestly, don't our actions too often speak louder than words? Or, we just 'turn a deaf ear.' Perhaps this is why God (and Charles Stanley) often say, "LISTEN!"
Samuel said to a disobedient king (who listened to a point but then cut his obedience short), "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice" (1Samuel 15). To interpretively paraphrase this, we could put it this way: "Hey, be very alert to OBEY (to the very letter) what God says (even if it shockingly goes contrary to what you want and cleverly justify); such obedience is vastly more desirable to Me (your God) than for you to be at church four times a week (even Prayer meeting), give gobs of money, volunteer for everything, bake cookies for the next church 'eat up', pass out tracts while all the time feigning innocence before the church leader and continuing in that hidden sin." The things listed in every week church life may well be done, but to obey God is the key to dynamic Christian living.
And so, King Saul disobeyed the Lord's clear directive. Then he hated God's implicit reproof, acted STUPIDLY in seeking out a witch; and that was His demise, the end of his effective leadership over GOD'S people. Read the entire story in 1Samuel. Moral? LISTEN AND HEED REPROOF, down to the last detail (Saul's great failure)! Can we outwit and know better than God?
- dick christen
