The Judges with all of their instruction for us are fading from view. The final four chapters of Judges showed how low people can go when they simply do what is right in their own eyes. Painful. Ruth followed and what a breath of fresh air her story was.
1 Samuel provides the background for how Israel came to have kings. They went from a Theocracy with God as their King, to a monarchy with a man as their king. Their first king was a notably handsome man. He was "choice and handsome, and there was not a more handsome person than he among the sons of Israel." Wow! Sounds like someone who should be on the cover of magazines in our day. "From his shoulders and up he was taller than any of the people." (9:2). Sign him up!
If there should be leadership in a man, it would seem to be housed in such a body, no? His name was Saul. As I begin to read of him, the first thing I find is that he is looking for lost donkeys. Further, his dad wants him to take a servant along to go with him to find them. After some time searching, they did not find them. Saul proposed that a return trip was in order to calm dad's anxieties. All in all, there is nothing remarkable about this story. That is what makes this future king's story so alarming. Nothing spoke of noble character, lofty vision, or loving leadership.
But something comes into the story - or someone. In verse 6, it is the servant's turn.
In this city "there is a man of God, " he says. (Oooh, let's find out what God has to say)
Saul replies, "but what shall we bring the man?" (Decisions, decisions, decisions)
The servant pulls out some money from his pocket and says, "I will give it to the man of God." (Personal sacrifice)
"Well said," said Saul.
"Well said" is right. The servant was wiser and crisper about things of life than Saul. He knew what was required and knew what to do to get there. This is a leader. I wonder if dad knew this trouble spot about his son. "Take now with you one of the servants."
The servant has such a small place in the Scripture. But, he helped me see Saul.
King Saul. The king which they had chosen. There he is, Israel. Your king. The king after your heart. Well, he certainly looks like a king! (cf. 1Sam 16:7) What would be the outcome of this king's reign? So many decisions would need to be made. Decisions, decisions.
He had the servant tell him what was right. He did not ask for God when he could not find what he was looking for. He wondered how to pay for advice from the man of God. He watched someone close to him voluntarily offer money on his behalf. He heard the good decision. He finally concluded, "well said, let's go."
Make me a servant, today.
