I have always been a big rule follower. When I was in grade school, I wanted to follow each and every rule, though the no talking rule was definitely a challenge. Today I still try to follow all of the rules that come my way. My motto is “we have rules for a reason.” God created order out of chaos and I prefer order over chaos any day!
Recently at work a co-worker didn’t understand why I would not break the rule for one customer. But there is a great problem with making exceptions. We have a serious issue when the rules get bent a bit for someone or something. When we step out of order, we find chaos.
Saul “made an exception for Agag, and for the choice sheep and cattle.” There was a holy ban, a ban that God required they destroy EVERYTHING. Everything was cursed. Everything was tainted. God did not want any of that to corrupt His special people. But Saul and the army thought they knew better. They made an exception. Today recognize that making exceptions when it comes to God’s Word, bending His commands will only bring chaos. Like Saul and his army, we like to think we know better. Truth is, we don’t. Together let us humbly admit it and quit making exceptions.
“Then Saul went after Amalek, from the canyon all the way to Shur near the Egyptian border. He captured Agag, king of Amalek, alive. Everyone else was killed under the terms of the holy ban. Saul and the army made an exception for Agag, and for the choice sheep and cattle. They didn’t include them under the terms of the holy ban. But all the rest, which nobody wanted anyway, they destroyed as decreed by the holy ban.”
1 Samuel 15:7-9 [MSG]
Tania Gutekunst 