Excelling in Goodness and Nobility

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Verse: 1 Samuel 11:13

"But the people said to Samuel, 'Your servant has become king, and he has gone out before us to fight our battles and has brought us victory, so let us make him king.' Samuel said to the people, 'Let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingship in the presence of the Lord.' So all the people went to Gilgal and made Saul king in the presence of the Lord. When they had made him king, they offered peace offerings before the Lord, and Saul and all the Israelites held a great celebration. Then Samuel said to Saul, 'The Lord has delivered you today, and you have begun to reign as king over Israel. But the people said, 'Shall we kill those who refused to follow Saul as king?' Samuel said, 'No, do not put them to death. This is a day of celebration before the Lord, and the Lord has given you victory.'"

In this passage, we see a remarkable display of goodness and nobility by Samuel, the man of God. After Saul's great victory over the Ammonites, the people wanted to kill those who had previously opposed Saul's kingship. But Samuel intervened, saying that it was not right to do so on a day of celebration before the Lord.

What's striking about this passage is that Samuel's decision was not based on any direct command from God. Instead, it was a noble decision that flowed from his own character and understanding of God's nature. Samuel knew that God delights in goodness and nobility, and that He would not want His people to mar a day of celebration with bloodshed.

This passage teaches us that God is not just a God of rules and regulations, but a God who delights in the goodness and nobility of His creation. When we excel in these qualities, we bring joy to God's heart. As Samuel showed, we can make noble decisions that reflect God's character, even when there is no direct command from Him.

In our own lives, we may face situations where we have to make difficult choices. But as we seek to follow God's ways, let us remember that He delights in goodness and nobility. Let us strive to make decisions that reflect His character, and bring joy to His heart.

As we reflect on Samuel's noble decision, let us ask ourselves: how can we excel in goodness and nobility in our own lives? How can we make decisions that reflect God's character, and bring joy to His heart?

Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for the example of Samuel, who showed us what it means to excel in goodness and nobility. Help us to make decisions that reflect Your character, and bring joy to Your heart. May we strive to be people who delight in doing good, and who bring honor to Your name. Amen.

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