The Reluctant Leader.
When I was a teenager I belonged to a youth organisation. It was called the Army Cadet Force and it catered for young men by teaching, training and challenging them in activities such as map reading, orienteering, shooting and camping, etc. I really loved that organisation and thrived through all the tests, courses, programs and exams they had set for us.
There came a time when I was asked to lead a team in a national competition against other groups from around the country. This would involved a lot of the things that we had learned and by using this knowledge, we would complete a series of tasks over the course of a weekend camping, trekking, orienteering and then race back to camp.
I accepted the task and started to chose other guys who I wanted to be on my team. However, I was told that I was to take this one certain member on the team and I wasn’t allowed to refuse. I said that I didn’t want him on the team as I had known him to be someone who was less than enthusiastic about the event. I felt that he would only be a hindrance and would conduct himself in a way that hold everything and everyone up and we would have no chance of doing well in the competition.
I told them that if he was on the team that I wouldn’t be able to lead it and I insisted on being able to select my own members. I was ordered, shouted at, pleaded with and cajoled to try and get me to lead the team. And all the while that I was being pleaded with I could see the certain team member lurking in the background sniggering and laughing up his sleeve at me being shouted at. That convinced me that I was right in my decision not to want him on the team.
They wouldn’t change their minds. And I then declined to lead. (I should add here that there were other people who were also just as qualified and able to lead the team as well as me but they had also declined for various reasons). We never entered the competition that year.
This event from so many years ago came back to my memory while I was listening to a sermon recently where the preacher was telling us of the time that Saul was selected to king over Israel. The events are recorded in 1st Samuel Ch9 and onwards.
But the basic gist of the account was that Israel was fed up with their continually failing leadership. The High Priest Eli’s sons had failed them so there was no confidence in them. The Prophets Samuel’s sons had failed them so there was no confidence in them either. And so, a person was selected to be King - Saul.
But Saul had no notion of ever being King over Israel. He was happily going through his life with his friends and family. And so it was, on a certain day, that God started to set His plans in motion for Saul.
1st Samuel ch9 (1) There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bechorath, the son of Aphiah, a Benjamite, a mighty man of power. (2) And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people.
The account goes on that Saul’s father had a herd of donkeys. And the donkeys had escaped from the field and ran into the mountains. Saul was told to take another workman and to go into the mountains to find them. It was on this search that they ran into Samuel, and Samuel already knew that Saul was to be made King.
But Saul still wasn't too enthused about it….
Ch9 (21) Saul answered, "But am I not a Benjamite, from the smallest tribe of Israel, and is not my clan the least of all the clans of the tribe of Benjamin? Why do you say such a thing to me?"
Saul was still not convinced but Samuel told him that on his journey he would see certain things and people would say certain things to him. Ch 10 tells us of the events. And as the prophecies all came to pass God changed Saul’s mind. (Ch10, v9).
But even the people of Saul’s village were not fully convinced of saul’s anointing…
1st Samuel ch10 (11) When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, "What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?"
The events go on to tell us of Saul’s official selection ceremony in accordance with the Law by the drawing of lots. (v17-21). And it finally came to be whittled down from tribe, to clan, to family, to person and then to the final person Saul. However, Saul was nowhere to be found.
Self doubts had crept in. He had allowed himself to be distracted by his critics and ran and hid in the supply stores. Even though he had earlier been anointed by Samuel, and he had heard the prophecies of the men along the road, he had seen the signs Samuel told him about, and he still ran and hid. The people found him and dragged him out.
Then Samuel declared…..
1st Samuel ch10 (24) Samuel said to all the people, "Do you see the man the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people." Then the people shouted, "Long live the king!"
Don’t let your detracters hold you back from your relationship with God. He is the only one who matters. Jesus is the only one who counts. So don’t allow your friends or family to hold you back from a deeper, more meaningful relationship with Him.
In hindsight, I should have led that team in that competition. The other guy would have made a fool of himself without any help from me. God Bless.
While the dew is still on the roses,
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The son of god discloses.
And he walks with me, and he talks with me,
And he tells me I am his own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.
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