"Be careful what you wish for" is an English idiom which warns us that if you get things that you desire, there may be unforeseen and unpleasant consequences. In the case of today's reading, this idiom is clearly relevant.
The Israelites were not happy and not content with Samuel leading them, and as a result were not happy to be ruled by God. They wanted an earthly king, despite the fact that they had God, a much more powerful and dependable king. Samuel was not happy with their request and even warned them of the consequences of seeking an earthly king, but they just did not want to listen. The Israelites still wanted an earthly king. So Samuel, with the permission of God, gave them a king. The rest, as we know it, is history. Time and again we see how many of the Israelite kings failed in their responsibilities and brought grief to the nation, even leading them into exile.
What about us? Are we letting ourselves be ruled by an earthly king? Or have we learnt to depend on our eternal king? Are we still stubborn in thinking that our earthly kings can really help us grow and prosper? Or are we willing to humbly walk in the presence of our eternal king, who we can depend on in this world and in the next? Indeed, "be careful what you wish for," for sometimes what we want may not necessarily be good for us.
No comments:
Post a Comment