- 1 Samuel 15:3 - Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass.
- 1 Samuel 15:15 - And Saul said, They have brought them from the Amalekites: for the people spared the best of the sheep and of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.
- 1 Samuel 24:8–12 - David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself. And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt? Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the Lord had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the Lord's anointed. Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not: know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it. The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.
Pride leads a person to serve themselves, while humility chooses to trust God and wait for His timing. Pride makes us feel that we can control life by our own power. The first two kings of Israel — Saul and David — show different approaches to dealing with pride. Saul's high self-regard led him to make decisions contrary to God's commandments. For example, after defeating the Amalekites, despite God's command to destroy everything, he kept a portion of the spoils. When Samuel exposed him, Saul made excuses, claiming he kept the animals 'to sacrifice to the Lord.' But God saw the prideful heart behind his words. Self-centered thinking leads us to deviate from God's commands, and we try to justify our disobedience, just like Saul. David, however, acted differently. He had been anointed king while Saul was still on the throne, but he did not try to seize the kingdom by force. He waited for God's time. This meant he had to endure Saul's jealousy and even his attempts to kill him. Even when he had the opportunity, David did not take the throne by force — he did not allow pride to rule his thoughts.
Reflection
Is there self-exaltation in your life? If so, spend time in the presence of the Lord today and ask Him to help you grow in humility.
