Radiant Glory Of Love

1 Samuel 12:3 Here I stand. Testify against me in the presence of the Lord and his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I accepted a bribe to make me shut my eyes? If I have done any of these things, I will make it right.”

This was Prophet Samuel, the product of a promise, a child of purpose, grown into a force used of God mightily and the institutor of Kingship in Israel! Prophet Samuel, what a man of integrity and humility. Having led Israel for many years, yet knows how feeble his righteousness was and is, declared the above statement to correct any wrong he may have done knowingly or unknowingly in error.

Today, we hurt one another, rob one another of the blessings of peace without batting an eye! The question relevant to us this day and age would be, Who have I robbed of respect by spreading rumors about them? Who have I accused wrongly? Who have I subverted their righteous cause? Who have I cheated? Who have I lied about? Who have I been bullying? Who have I been Lording it over? Who have I been manipulated to resist their advancement because of my own insecurity? Who am I oppressing? Which evil deed am I supporting just to “keep face”? Can I honestly say, “If I have done any of these things, I will make it right.” Can you my friend? Prophet Samuel did?

I guess not! Our egos stand in the way of peace eh! We don’t want to seem to have backed down. What we don’t know is that we begin to lose ground gradually. God resists the proud!! The way we treat people that seem disadvantaged, albeit relatively, speaks volume about us louder than our eloquent speeches bathed in inconsistency. Words lose value the moment the audience begin to see actions that are inconsistent. Many will flow along, tune off and so on, but is it really worth it? To save face, when everything hidden will be brought to light?

Why not repent today and make amends? Change your ways in light of God’s Word. Let those words we know, no matter how little, and many, without it having a place in our hearts, the transformation will not take place. Therefore, Lord Jesus, let your words take root downward and bear fruits upward in our hearts. It will transform us from within and the evidence will be made known to all by the way we live and treat each other.

Shalom! Shalom! Shalom!