A CLEAN RECORD

• DAY 161
• FAITH FILE: SAMUEL
• SCRIPTURES: 1 SAMUEL 12:1-5

Then Samuel addressed all Israel: “I have done as you asked and given you a king. Your king is now your leader. I stand here before you—an old, gray-haired man—and my sons serve you. I have served as your leader from the time I was a boy to this very day. Now testify against me in the presence of the LORD and before his anointed one. Whose ox or donkey have I stolen? Have I ever cheated any of you? Have I ever oppressed you? Have I ever taken a bribe and perverted justice? Tell me and I will make right whatever I have done wrong.” “No,” they replied, “you have never cheated or oppressed us, and you have never taken even a single bribe.” “The LORD and his anointed one are my witnesses today,” Samuel declared, “that my hands are clean.”

In our text today, Samuel calls the entire Israel to order. Now that they had what they wanted, now that they had a king, he wanted them to know how wrong they were to begin with. You see, sometimes, when people are pressed to have their way they don’t listen to sound counsel. But when the desire is met, they become more agreeable and more attentive. As a leader, Samuel’s whole job was to lead these people toward the Lord and he would have failed had he let this grave disobedience slide.

Yet Samuel did not start by pointing out their faults. He understood that in other to correct their disobedience his own must be complete (2 Corinthians 10:16) so he put himself up Fo r examination first. That was a courageous move. 

Must leaders today expect that we do as they say and not as they do. Most believers speak out of both sides of their mouth. They are quick to correct but they cannot stand under the same spotlight and be found blameless. A lot is to be said about a man that upholds his own principles. Much more is to be said about a man that upholds the principles of God.

You see, a life of faith is not lived from the corridors of “what can I get from God.” The faith we profess must be evident in our characters as well. Samuel was examined and he had a clean record. His sons were corrupt but he wasn’t. He left his hands clean and his name good.

Proverbs 22 says that a good name is better and should be chosen than riches. And I believe that it is important now, more than ever, to be mindful of how we handle our affairs and what report we leave behind. Because when all is said and done, you need to leave with your hands clean. If not for you, for the sake of the kingdom we represent and the people after us. 

Beloved, what’s your record like? At your job, your school, your home, your relationships, even your leadership? Examine yourself through the standards of God. Let us not keep our faith in our mouth only and not in our deeds. And where you find yourself wanting fix it. However, remember that we can only be effectively and truly examined by the Holy Spirit and it is by His help that you can uphold God’s laws. May we all live our lives to bless and please our Father. In Jesus name.

Shalom.