“One Year Bible” Old Testament History Passage
I Samuel 12:1-13:23
“But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.” I Samuel 13:14 (NKJV)
The earthly motivation behind leadership is EGO. This may work in the world but it is of no lasting value in the Kingdom of God. Saul was “after his own heart” – pursuing his own advancement. Therefore, when the first big test came, he violated God’s instructions and usurped the office of the priest.
If we operate out of self-preservation, we will forfeit the blessing of God. If we seek first our own purposes, we can never receive God’s richest rewards. When Saul found himself to be under pressure, he reverted to self-reliance and “pushed through” what he needed. I find this one characteristic and tendency to be the dividing line between true leadership and self-made leadership.
May we always be willing to lay it all on the line – even if doing so means failure in our eyes. But, we will not fail, for God will cause us to stand. We must be people after God’s own heart.