1 Samuel 13:13-14
13 “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”
Saul has taken matters into his own hands rather than following the instructions God has given him through Samuel, scripture describes him as being foolish. The consequences for him are significant, as God moves the crown from him to another whose heart is better aligned with his. We are all foolish from time to time, we all make mistakes, just as David, Saul’s successor did. The key thing is our attitude – do we repent and move on, or do we fail to acknowledge our mistakes and stay there, making them again and again. As David’s son put it graphically: Proverbs 26:11, ‘As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.‘ But we can change with God’s help, we can learn and move on: Proverbs 8:5 ‘You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.’
Spirit, help me to see where I’ve been a fool, and teach me your wisdom.
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