READ: 1 Samuel 15:1-23
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. – 1 Samuel 15:22
We often think that the person who sacrifices is greater than the one who obeys. The word “sacrifice” brings to us, terrifying images of suffering and loss. Obedience seems to be a much milder and less demanding option. In fact, our human analysis would rate sacrifice above obedience any day. Once again, God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts. He makes it clear that, “To obey is better than to sacrifice.”
Why is obedience to be preferred to sacrifice? When we sacrifice we often know we are going to suffer and we know the reasons for the sufferings. It is greater to obey without fully understanding, than it is to sacrifice. The greatest blessings in my life and ministry have come from obeying God and not from sacrificing.
Often, it is not easy to understand the implications of what we are doing because of our level of growth or our stage of maturity in the Lord. How could I understand the impact of full-time ministry when I was a lay pastor? Many lay people think they understand what full-time ministry is. They do not. It is in obeying the Lord to enter full-time ministry that you will see the fruit of obedience. I believe that we will never fully understand what God has asked us to do until we begin to do His will. It is in doing the will of God that you know it is from the Lord.
Notice this Scripture: “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” ( John 7:17)