“Arrogance leads to dishonor” (10 mins.)
How is an arrogant person? He is haughty, haughty boastful, pushy, cocky. He is so arrogant that he believes that he is an expert on all subjects and consequently has no interest in listening to other opinions. The arrogant person even despises and offends other people and let's review these definitions of arrogant. Why are we going to talk about someone who demonstrated it to the highest degree like King Saul.
That's the theme we have in Treasures of the Bible: "Arrogance leads to dishonor." To understand it, we must place ourselves at the time, King Saul, who the previous week we were talking about someone very humble and sometimes even a little fearful.
Now, having the power as the king appointed by Jehovah, he came to think that he could do whatever he wanted because he was the king. Let's see the situation he was in.
LET'S READ: 1 Samuel 13:5-7.
5 The Philistines also came together to attack Israel. They had 30,000 chariots, 6,000 horsemen, and an army as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore. They went up to Micmash, east of Beth-Aven, and camped there. 6 And the men of Israel were hard pressed by the great pressure of the enemy. So they hid in caves, in holes, in rocks, in underground places and in cisterns. 7 Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan into the land of Gad and Gilead. But Saul was still in Gilgal, and all who stayed with him were trembling with fear.
Well, we have that the situation was very complicated for Saul and the army of Israel. The enemies were abundant 30,000 thousand war chariots and 6,000 horsemen, and an army of that as the grains of sand. The reaction in them, hide in caves, holes, rocks, underground, cisterns. And those who walked with Saul, which was undoubtedly an army of brave people, because they were trembling with fear.
What would a person do there? It seems that he believed that he could solve the matter without the need of Jehovah. There was Samuel, there was the prophet Samuel. She went to him and Samuel told her to wait. And it is that Samuel knew that Jehovah could easily fix the situation. But Samuel took a while and Saul wasn't around to wait that long.
He began to show that he was arrogant. One of the definitions of arrogant was haughty or an expert on all subjects. And thinking that way, let's see Saul's reaction to Samuel's delay.
LET'S READ: 1 Samuel 13:8-9.
8 He waited seven days, until the deadline set by Samuel was fulfilled. But Samuel did not reach Gilgal, and his men were leaving him. 9 Finally, Saul said, “Bring me the animals for the burnt sacrifice and the peace offerings.” And he began to offer the burnt sacrifice.
This man, who had only been in his reign for two years, already believed himself to be quite an expert, not only in war, but also in making sacrifices. What happened here? Before he was very humble, even a little scared, but now he thought he knew about all the issues, handled them very well, to the point of replacing a priest.
When one reviews information about how these sacrifices were made, it was not easy at all. It was a very careful procedure that the priest had to perform before this burnt sacrifice. But Saul did not want to wait. As verse 8 indicates, Samuel did not arrive when he said he would. However, he despaired, he took the power to perform this burnt sacrifice.
What a way to act arrogantly! Now it is possible that if by fear he was scared and wanted to have Jehovah's direction as soon as possible. Samuel said to him: I arrive in seven days. It was delaying and he was worried because there was a large army of the Philistines about to attack them. And most of us, in any natural area of our lives, know that when we have to act fast on something, we do it.
Possibly that could have happened with Saul. However, Jehovah knew his heart perfectly, and must have perceived that he was doing this with another intention, to show his arrogance. Saul may have thought: "As this old prophet makes me wait so long and he doesn't come when he says I don't wait any longer, I do it." He was usurping the right to act for something that he was not authorized to do. The result was not good at all.
What does this teach us, brothers. That sometimes we can have some privilege within the congregation and think that this allows us to take attributions, perhaps simple. Let's take a simple example: on one occasion, in a Kingdom hall, a publication was urgently needed for the Coordinator of the congregation, he requested it. Someone very hurriedly went, but the brother who was in charge of the Literature department was not there at the time.
This was communicated to him and the decision could be made to obtain it quickly because that publication was needed for a consultation or the brother in charge of literature was expected to arrive. What did the old man do? He said, "No, let's hope. He is the one who has to give us.” That was a clear demonstration of respect for the authority of the brother in charge of literature. It was easy to maybe say “I'm the coordinator, please, it doesn't matter. The brother is not there, pass it to me », but he patiently waited for the brother to arrive and obtained the literature from the person who had the authority to deliver it.
What a nice example! An example of modesty. It doesn't matter if we have authority within the congregation. We also want to respect the authority that the other has. If we are not authorized, if we do not manage that field within the congregation, let us respect the position of each one. What happened to Saul, who was quick in an arrogant, proud way, not believing he was waiting for a slow old prophet?
LET'S READ: 1 Samuel 13:13-14.
13 Samuel told Saul, “What you did is crazy. You have not obeyed the command that Jehovah your God gave you. If you had, Jehovah would have established your kingdom in Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom will not last. Jehovah will find a man who pleases his heart. And the Lord will make him a leader over his people, because you did not do what the Lord commanded you.”
We really want to be very careful with the way we handle everything that has to do with the worship of Jehovah. It doesn't matter if we have the authority to do something in the congregation. Let us respect the authority of another, even if it is something small that is assigned to do it and it is not our responsibility.
It's very clear. Arrogance brings dishonor. And Saul checked it very late. Let's take care of the attitude. Let us remain modest, humble. Those things are what are really appreciated in Jehovah's organization and are used by Almighty God.
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