“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 14:12 BSB)
“Do not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7 NKJV)
“But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22 NLT)
How you do something is just as important as why you do it, and how it turns out. We live in an age where “truth” is considered to be “relative,” and “absolutes” are considered a thing of the past. With everything being considered “fluid” all that really seems to matter is that the goal in mind is achieved. Now more than ever before phrases such as ” the end justifies the means” and “all’s well that ends well” are commonly accepted. “Situational Ethics” is the rage of the age.
A great example of what I am talking about is found in 1 Samuel 15. Saul thought that since the right thing to do after winning a battle was to honor the Lord with sacrifice, the fact that he disobeyed would become acceptable. He learned the hard way that this thinking doesn’t fly. The following is the account of Saul’s foolishness:
“Then Samuel said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people Israel. Now therefore, listen to the words of the LORD. This is what the LORD of Hosts says: ‘I witnessed what the Amalekites did to the Israelites when they ambushed them on their way up from Egypt. Now go and attack the Amalekites and devote to destruction all that belongs to them. Do not spare them, but put to death men and women, children and infants, oxen and sheep, camels and donkeys.’ ”… Then Saul struck down the Amalekites . . Saul and his troops spared Agag, along with the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs, and the best of everything else. …Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying,“I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions.”… Early in the morning Samuel got up to confront Saul, … When Samuel reached him, Saul said to him, “May the LORD bless you. I have carried out the LORD’s instructions. But Samuel replied, “Then what is this bleating of sheep and lowing of cattle that I hear?” Saul answered, “The troops brought them from the Amalekites; they spared the best sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but the rest we devoted to destruction.”Stop!” exclaimed Samuel. … The LORD anointed you king over Israel and sent you on a mission … So why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you rush upon the plunder and do evil in the sight of the LORD?” “But I did obey the LORD,” Saul replied. “I went on the mission that the LORD gave me. I brought back Agag king of Amalek and devoted the Amalekites to destruction. The troops took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of the things devoted to destruction, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal.” But Samuel declared:“Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams. … Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king.” (1 Samuel 15:1-23 BSB abbreviated)
To the Lord, the “means” are more important than the “end.” Even though it feels like I am swimming up stream, I am going to stick with the ways of the Lord and avoid following the upside down and inside out thinking of the World. That is why I am choosing to follow…
…Eric’s Life Lesson # 10: “It’s never right to do wrong to do right (do what’s right, because it’s right, then do it right)