BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE DIFFERENT!

1 Samuel 8:4-5 “Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, 5And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.

1 Samuel 8 relates a time in Israel’s history when they had wandered from God’s plan for their life and decided they just didn’t want to be different anymore. Samuel pleaded for the Israelites before God but God’s longsuffering was close to the end and He said, “If that’s what they want then give it to them! But first, tell them the consequence of such a request.” 

1 Samuel 8:10 “And Samuel told all the words of the LORD unto the people that asked of him a king. 11 And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. 12 And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to sow his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. 13 And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. 14 And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your olive yards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. 15 And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. 16 And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.

Maybe it was all the royal pageantry, possibly it was the lure of the “good life” that seemed to surround a king or perhaps they were just tired of having the “People of God” target painted on their backs.

1 Samuel 8:19-20 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; 20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.

The Children of Israel had forgotten something very important, THEY WERE DIFFERENT FOR A PURPOSE! It began with a covenant, included bloodshed, leading to the fulfillment of God’s plan for their life. God had made a covenant with Abraham and sealed it with circumcision. He promised to make Abraham’s seed a great nation. His plan was that they would follow God as He led them and spoke to them through an anointed servant. God wanted to be their judge, their provider and fight their enemies. The purpose of the Israelites was to trust wholly in God, glorify Him in the eyes of the heathen and be the mouthpiece pointing the way to Jesus Christ. It was all lost because THEY DIDN’T WANT TO BE DIFFERENT!

We are currently in the midst of a hotly contested Presidential Primary. The views range from one extreme to the other.  One of the candidates continues to push the belief that "we are the only civilized nation that does not offer its citizens (you fill in the blank)."  The rallying cry from supporters is "MAKE US LIKE OTHER NATIONS!" The candidates paint a picture of Utopia  until you examine the consequences of its enforcement. It will require heavier taxation on working Americans, allow more government encroachment into our lives, force us into supporting immoral decisions and burden our children and grandchildren with unbelievable debt. But, “NOW WE WILL BE LIKE EVERY OTHER NATION!

Have we forgotten, the United States was not founded to be like every other nation? Our country began with a covenant; The Declaration of Independence and was sealed with the Constitution. Our forefathers shed blood to establish this great nation and our sons and daughters have continued to spill blood to preserve the freedom and rights guaranteed by the Constitution. We were to be a Beacon of Hope to the rest of the world, a nation portraying the idea that a people allowed to live in freedom, dream, work hard and receive rewards earned from their labor would rise to unimaginable heights. We would invent, create and achieve things no other nation had ever accomplished. In doing so we would point the way to freedom and prosperity for oppressed people everywhere. Our ideals are rapidly being consumed because WE DON’T WANT TO BE DIFFERENT!

Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.

Our salvation began with the shed blood of Jesus Christ and has been sealed with the Holy Spirit.  WE ARE DIFFERENT FOR A PURPOSE! God does not intend for His Church to BE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE! We are to be a light to those in darkness pointing the way to salvation through Jesus Christ. It requires a transforming of our mind from a WORLD VIEW to a GOD VIEW. We have to stand firm against evil and sometimes deny ourselves things that seem so desirable.

Many times it may feel like you have a target painted on your back, but before you cry, I DON’T WANT TO BE DIFFERENT, remember you have been redeemed with a great price. If you want to have the favor of God on your life, enjoy His abundant blessing and fulfill His purpose for you, YOU CAN’T BE LIKE EVERY OTHER PERSON, YOU ARE GOD’S CHILD!