Selfish Motives

Verse of the Day: 1 Samuel 14:24, And the men of Israel were distressed that day, for Saul had placed the people under oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food until evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the people tasted food.

The more we observe King Saul’s actions, the more we see his selfishness and how far his heart was from God. When we examine his words closely, we see the selfish intentions of his command to the people. The Lord had just given them a great victory, and there was great cause for celebration. Yet, we do not see him give any special attention to the fact that God had just delivered them from their enemies. In life, we will have occasions where God will give us victory in very challenging circumstances, and we will have many opportunities to exalt and praise God in our lives. Will we use those moments to lift the Lord up before people, or will we rob God of the glory that is due Him? On every occasion where we have the opportunity to give God glory, we must have the same attitude John the Baptist had in John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” As God’s children, people must see more and more of Jesus, while seeing less and less of us. For all intents and purposes, King Saul forced a fast on the people. Yet, this was not a fast that was intended to be a fast to the Lord. The basis of this fast was so that King Saul could succeed in taking vengeance on his enemies. Note that this was all about Saul. God had already shown them that He was willing to fight on their behalf and take vengeance on those who opposed them. Yet, Saul was seeking vengeance for himself. Had this been a true fast, and had he been truly seeking God in this, he would have fasted personally, and would have continued to lead his army as God led him, without the people even knowing that he was fasting. In Matthew 6:16-18 Jesus gave these instructions regarding times of fasting, “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 17 But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” In 2 Chronicles 20:1-4 the Scriptures tell us, “It happened after this that the people of Moab with the people of Ammon, and others with them besides the Ammonites, came to battle against Jehoshaphat. 2 Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, ‘A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar’ (which is En Gedi). 3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 4 So Judah gathered together to ask help from the LORD; and from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD.” Note the difference in these two occasions. King Saul told the people to fast for his own selfish motives, while Jehoshaphat called for a national fast in truly seeking God, not for his own selfish reasons, but for the deliverance of God’s people. Because King Saul’s command was selfish, it had adverse consequences that led to the people eventually sinning against God. Not only did it lead to God’s people sinning against Him, it implicated the one person who was the hero of this story, humanly speaking, Jonathan. Saul’s actions were also a way for attention to be drawn away from how the Lord gave Jonathan the ability to perform such a great feat, along with his armorbearer, for God’s glory. Once again, King Saul’s selfishness robbed God of the glory over Jonathan’s actions of faith that could have been celebrated for the glory and praise of God. As followers of Jesus, we must be careful to examine our motives for the things we do, that seem spiritual on the surface, but are selfish in nature. When we fast, do we blow a horn and announce how spiritual we are because we are fasting, or do we keep it as something that is between us and the Lord? When we have to opportunity to praise God for something He is doing, or has done, for us, whether directly or through someone else, do we try to draw the glory and praise toward ourselves? Do we draw attention to our own role and how we used our talents, abilities, and our “godly” wisdom, to bring forth a successful end to a particular circumstance, or do we lift the Lord up before everyone who will listen to our testimony? King Saul’s actions and command were selfish, and robbed God of the glory He deserved, as well as caused others to sin in their actions that were a response to his selfishly motivated fast. Let us always seek to humbly exalt the Lord and His Name; and in His time and His way, He will exalt us in due time.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).