Following directions works wonders, but many of us just don’t like to do it.

We ignore those Swedish furniture instructions with pride.

Then we wonder why we end up with three extra hex screws and a cabinet that perpetually wobbles.

Trusting the designer’s plan can go a long way.

Likewise, trusting that a person who asks us to do something knows what they want is wiser than just doing what we want to do.

We may need to talk about process, or logistics, but after that, a deal’s a deal, and no clever attempt to finesse our noncompliance will change the fact that we haven’t done the work.

The Bible puts it this way: obedience is better than sacrifice.

In 1 Samuel, Chapter 15, God commands Saul to destroy the entire Amalekite nation: men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.

Saul mobilizes an army of 210,000, tells the Kenites to evacuate, and slaughters the Amalekites, with one exception.

He spares King Agag’s life, and Saul and the army take all his best stuff: the sheep, goats, cattle, fat calves, and lambs.

The treasure, they keep. The trash, they destroy.

God sees this and sends Samuel to address it.

And Saul explains that the army spared the best of the sheep, goats, and cattle to sacrifice them to God.

²² But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord:
your burnt offerings and sacrifices
or your obedience to his voice?
Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice,
and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.
²³ Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft,
and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols.
So because you have rejected the command of the Lord,
he has rejected you as king.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23 NIV)

Saul then admits his fault and its motive. He was afraid of the people and did as they demanded, rather than being afraid of God and doing as He commanded.

For this he loses his kingship.

Even in his repentance, moreover, he asks Samuel to honor him before the elders of his people and before Israel by joining him to worship.

Even facing the consequences of his poor judgment, Saul is still concerned with saving face.

He’s a lot like us.

We are too often more concerned with how we look to people than to God.

We see their disapproval and hear their complaints. And since we don’t see God’s face, or Hear His voice, especially if we are not listening to it, we don’t worry about it right away.

Instead, we focus more on keeping the people happy than obeying His instructions.

God’s instructions, however, are specific. We don’t get to offer him what we think best.

This is all the more true because mixed motives inevitably color our thinking. We don’t just erroneously think we have a better idea. We have competing affinities the idea supports. We think it’s better we look good, or feel good, or accomplish something else we want.

We probably don’t think about this enough. Witchcraft is manipulation, domination, and control. When we rebel against God by tapering our obedience, we are guilty of all three. We are trying to manipulate God into doing things our way. We are trying to exercise power we don’t have to change the rules of the game. And we are trying to control God by limiting his options.

Trying to control God, however, is not only blasphemous, it’s absurd. He is all-seeing, all-knowing, and all-powerful. We are not in a negotiation we can win.

Still, we try. We obey one thing, but not another. We get rid of some things God is demanding, but not all.

And it’s a big reason why many of us are stuck. We are looking for God to do something big in our lives, and we wonder why it’s taking so long. And the reason is that God has an open door for us, but because we are holding onto something he has told us to release, we can’t fit through it.

And sometimes, we run out of time.

Like Saul, we may find ourselves facing the consequences of our rebellion. The assignment goes to someone else.

But let’s believe, beloved, that we haven’t.

I want to encourage someone today: what God has told you to do, do it. What he has told you to stop, stop it.

His desired destinations and chosen assignments for us require us to follow directions.

It’s like a job.

You may think you can enter someone else’s operation, bring your unique brand of awesome, disobey all the rules, and shine.

And you may.

But you may also find yourself shining, outside the door they close behind you.

I pray you follow God's lead and build the life he designed for you.

You can’t build anyone else’s.

(Photo Credit: Athena)