1 When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders.[a] 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.
4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead[b] us, such as all the other nations have.”
6 But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD. 7 And the LORD told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”
10 Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king.
LORD will not answer you in that day.”
19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”
21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. 22 The LORD answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.”
Then Samuel said to the Israelites, “Everyone go back to your own town.”
The Israelites wanted God, but they also wanted an earthly king. We see this all the time in our world today. People say they are a Christian, yet they think other people need to run the country. I realize that the world and countries need someone who is the head honcho, but they don't necessarily need to be a king. If this was a perfect world, we wouldn't worry about who was going to lead us into battle or if we were like the other "coutries." Unfortunately, the world isn't. People want a "king" and that is where the problem is. People don't want to stand out or be different. Everyone is guilty of it at some point. They want to be accepted and want people to like them. I am guilty of this, but I feel that I am not as much as others can be. I see myself more like Samuel in this passage, but I don't use it well like he did. I feel like I am in a world where I am pressured to do and be what I know is wrong. It is so hard to be the best person you can when you are constantly being pressured in this world. My solution, is to block it out and not accept anyone associated with it. I see all the wrong in this world and judge it and get angry. I see all the wrong that people do and get mad and judge. Which now, I see that it is completely wrong. Jesus accepted everyone; the lepers, the tax collectors, and the prisoners. God was enough for Jesus, and we have to keep in mind the sacrifice they both gave for us. We are so unworthy. He gave everything. How is that not enough?
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