It is a wise thing to learn to be careful with our words. To speak without a filter before God shows the level of our reverence for God. If we revere God as we profess, it will show in our actions. We will mince our words especially when it carries grave meaning and consequence in order not to wound others. At the same time, we need to be careful of mincing words so much so that we eliminate truth outrightly. The truth still needs to be told in its truest form.
Leadership with understanding was lacking in King Saul. On the one hand, he wants to be the peoples King, pleasing and accepted by Israel, at the expense of his reverence for God, neglecting the commandment of God. What is popular with the masses does not mean it is sanctioned by heaven. We need to strike a balance between serving people and serving God acceptably.
King Saul did not inquire of the Lord before uttering the vow of abstinence from food. If he had inquired, I believe God would have told him these people are hungry and fearful, placing a curse on them would make their dire situation even worst. King Saul’s utterance that day capped the victory God had earmarked for the whole of Israel that day for they were too weak to pursue Philistines further, and he also made the people sin against God, in that they ate meat with its blood.
1 Samuel 14: 28 Then one of the people said, “Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food this day.’” And the people were faint. 29 But Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Look now, how my countenance has brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. 30 How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now would there not have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?” 31 Now they had driven back the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. So the people were very faint. 32 And the people rushed on the spoil, and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood. 33 Then they told Saul, saying, “Look, the people are sinning against the Lord by eating with the blood!” So he said, “You have dealt treacherously; roll a large stone to me this day.” 34 Then Saul said, “Disperse yourselves among the people, and say to them, ‘Bring me here every man’s ox and every man’s sheep, slaughter them here, and eat; and do not sin against the Lord by eating with the blood.’” So every one of the people brought his ox with him that night and slaughtered it there. 35 Then Saul built an altar to the Lord. This was the first altar that he built to the Lord.
Father Lord, give us understanding and wisdom to live a life that is worthy of your calling.
Shalom! Shalom! Shalom!
Radiant Glory Of Love 