First off, let me explain the title. In my small group there is someone that is teaching me how to communicate through sign language. I think it is so fascinating, however as a novice, I tend to make mistakes, some of which would be offensive to anyone that can understand me. So when you say "good" in sign language you touch your hand to your chin and then put it in your other hand with your palm up. If you put your palm down it means "bad." So as I was learning I kept doing good wrong, which was bad. It became a running joke in my small group, however it made me think of my Christian walk and the story of Saul. I will expound on that in a bit.
I am reading through the whole bible in 90 days as a part of this mentorship program called D90X and we have been going through the story of Saul and David in 1 Samuel. In 1 Samuel 13:1-15, we find Saul in a tough spot. The Philistines are gathering to fight Israel, but before Saul can fight he has to wait for Samuel to come and offer sacrifices to the Lord. The Israelites were getting restless and so Saul springs into action and offers the sacrifices since Samuel had not arrived yet. Just as he did that, Samuel showed up and rebuked Saul for disobeying the Lord.
I see myself in this same situation many times as well. Have you ever been impatient with the Lord and taken matters in your own hands? Even though offering sacrifices to the Lord is a good thing, Saul still sinned. The root of his sin is that didn't trust the Lord. Things were looking bad, Saul had to act because the Lord didn't. Maybe the Lord had forgotten about him, or He didn't see the how the situation was unfolding. Have you ever reacted in the same manner as Saul? I know that I have.
Fast forward two chapters, in 1 Samuel 15, Saul is given the command to wipe out the Amalekites for their sins against Israel. He is supposed to utterly destroy them, however he spares the king, all of the gold and silver, and all the good sheep and cattle. When Samuel confronts him about this, Saul makes excuses. He says that he was bringing all the treasure back to the Lord, and was bringing the animals back to sacrifice to the Lord. Good intentions, right? I mean, the Lord is going to be so pumped that He now has all of this gold and animals for sacrifice. Saul was doing a good thing, right? Samuel quickly corrects Saul, "But Samuel replied: "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fats of rams." (1 Sam 15:22)
Ok, I know that we don't make sacrifices to the Lord anymore through animals, however the truth behind it should not be overlooked. God doesn't need our acts of service, God doesn't need our money, and God is not lacking in anything. Before I go any further, we should serve and tithe, not because God needs it but because we get the opportunity to be a part of God's mission. Back to my point, God did not create us to give Him gifts out of need, He created us for a relationship for Him. The Christian walk is not about doing what is good, it is about a broken spirit and a humble heart. "You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise." (Psalms 51:16-17)
You can make excuses all you want. You can go through the laundry list of things that you do for the church or for those in need, but if deep down inside you do all of this for yourself or do it out of disobedience, it is all in vain. God sees the heart. He sees that the widow that gave only two pennies even though it was all she had, and said that she gave more than anyone else. (Luke 21:1-4) He sees the regular church goer that hates his brother the same as the priest and the Levite in the story of the good Samaritan. (Luke 10:25-37) He sees the man that can't forgive others even though he has been forgiven as the unforgiving debtor. (Matthew 18:21-35) He sees the church goer that judges others the same as the Pharisees about to stone the adulterous woman. (John 8:1-11)
Do you mask sin with good works? Are you doing good things out of disobedience as Saul did? Are you rejecting the needs of your family so you can serve? Are you dating a non christian because you want to witness to them? Are you giving for the sole reason that God will bless you? Are you justifying an addiction, because it prevents you from doing other sins? Are you being impatient with the Lord and taking matters in your own hands as Saul? Search your heart. Do you feel true remorse for your sin that you desire true heart change? Are overwhelmed by grace to the point that you want to serve, love, and give to the Lord and others, and forgive others because you have received all that from the Lord?
I say this out of true conviction, when you do good for the wrong reasons or in disobedience, it is bad.
Your brother in Christ,
Daniel
