Compare Saul's response in 1 Samuel 9:10 to Proverbs 11:14 on seeking guidance. Setting the Scene - Saul is searching for his father’s lost donkeys (1 Samuel 9). - After days of fruitless wandering, Saul is ready to give up, but his servant suggests they inquire of “the man of God” (the prophet Samuel). - This moment becomes the hinge on which Saul’s destiny turns. Saul’s Immediate Response (1 Samuel 9:10) “ ‘Good,’ said Saul to his servant. ‘Come, let us go.’ So they set out for the city where the man of God was.” - Saul humbly accepts advice from someone beneath him socially. - He acts promptly—no procrastination, no debate. - His obedience positions him for God’s revelation and the anointing as Israel’s first king (1 Samuel 10:1). The Wisdom Principle (Proverbs 11:14) “For lack of guidance, a nation falls, but with many counselors comes deliverance.” - Guidance = steady, ongoing direction. - Many counselors = a plurality of voices that sharpen, balance, and confirm. - Deliverance (or “safety”) flows from humble listening. Connecting the Passages - Saul models Proverbs 11:14 in miniature; he listens to one counselor, but that counsel represents God’s wider provision of guidance. - His willingness illustrates how even a single, Spirit-led voice can be the first link in a chain of “many counselors.” - Israel’s future stability at that moment depends on Saul’s response—underscoring Proverbs’ national scope (“nation falls”). - By heeding his servant, Saul steps into the “deliverance” of divine purpose. Lessons for Today • Cultivate humility: godly counsel may come from unexpected sources (John 13:14; Philippians 2:3). • Act promptly on righteous advice; delayed obedience risks missed opportunity (James 4:17). • Seek a breadth of wisdom—Scripture, mature believers, and proven leaders—to confirm direction (Acts 15:6, 28). • Remember God’s promise: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go” (Psalm 32:8). • Pray for discernment, but also move when guidance aligns with God’s Word (James 1:5; Psalm 119:105). |
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