Choosing grace

There was a wealthy and influential man named Kish, from the tribe of Benjamin; he was the son of Abiel and grandson of Zeror, and belonged to the family of Becorath, a part of the clan of Aphiah. He had a son named Saul, a handsome man in the prime of life. Saul was a head taller than anyone else in Israel and more handsome as well. Some donkeys belonging to Kish had wandered off, so he said to Saul, ‘Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys.’ (verses 1-3)

Read 1 Samuel 9:1-14

The story of Israel’s monarchy starts out with all the style of the classic stories of kings and queens, princes and princesses. The people think that Saul has what it will take to be a faithful king under the Lord. The king-to-be is the ‘stand-out’ person for the job. He is handsome, tall, wealthy and in the prime of life.

Well, if they are the sorts of things that God looks for in choosing people to be his leaders, then how did you and I get in? Indeed, so many Christians in the world would never have been chosen by God if God made people his own on the basis of looks, wealth and physical strength!

Praise God that he has shown in his Son, Jesus, that he chooses people on a completely different basis, on the basis of his grace! God has chosen you to be his servant leader because he wanted to, not because you were so special that he had to. That’s good news, because then you are set free to be who God has made you to be, no more and no less.

Heavenly Father, thank you for choosing me to be your child and giving me gifts to serve others around me at work, home and church. Help me to serve well and be gracious in accepting others. Through Jesus Christ. Amen.

by Adrian Kitson, in ‘Renewed Hope for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2000)

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