1 Samuel 15:17-19 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel? And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD
Have you ever known someone who made it to the “big time” and forgot his old friends, neighborhood, and even his upbringing? You know the routine. Your “Old Friend” strikes it good and forgets anything that may drag him back to the reality of his former relationships and routine. You almost wish you could see him and say, “Remember when?”
Samuel is God’s man and messenger. Samuel has a “Remember when?” message from God for Saul. Saul had made the “big time.” God had taken him from just a simple farmer and made him into a leader of his people. Yet Saul had begun to think that this newly found fame and fortune had been obtained on his own and without divine intervention.
Samuel asks him a multipart question. The question reveals God’s view of this man. The questions are designed to deflate the super ego of this man intoxicated on the drink of pride. Clearly the verses reveal God’s dissatisfaction with Saul. The most telling part of the question is when God asks him to remember when he was little in his own sight.
God forced Saul to consider there was a day when he viewed himself as he really was: a farmer called by God to be a leader. God forced him to see that Saul saw himself now as big. “Too Big” to obey God’s rules. “Too Big” for God’s righteousness. “Too Big” for God routine.
How do you see yourself? It takes great discipline, surrender, and yielding to remain little in our own eyes. Fight the temptation to think that the blessings of God come because you are so wonderful. God’s blessings come because He is so wonderful. The only thing our goodness has ever merited was filthy rags and Hell. Strive to remain little in your own eyes!
