Archive: Playing Skillfully

By Marilyn N. Anderes

Politically correct. We hear it everywhere. The media exalts what the establishment dictates. The problem is that our morally deficient establishment elevates tolerance over truth. Samuel confronted a similar culture. The surrounding nations had kings, but for Israel to impose a monarchy, the people had to depose God as King.

Samuel pleaded, “You don’t really want a king. He will tax and spend, he’ll demand your sons for his battlefield, and he’ll expect you to serve him.” But change was demanded just as it was in November, 1992, in the United States. And just as the Israelites put their hope in men, so it is with Americans. Samuel asked the question we must ask: How do I best serve the interests of my God in the midst of wayward people?

God gave directions for just such a time in his psalm to the nations. “Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy” (Psalms 33:3). Samuel’s life demonstrates eight ways to play skillfully in post-Christian times. Follow along in I Samuel 12.

1. Listen (verse 1). Samuel heard what the people said. He listened with his ears and his heart. We would do well to be alert to the heart pleas of our acquaintances. Former Secretary of State Dean Rusk once said: “One of the best ways to persuade others is by listening to them.”

2. Reaffirm your life message (verse 2). The prophet Samuel proclaimed, I am a faithful leader under God. We, too, can recommit to Christ’s lordship and ask anew how he would be pleased to use us now.

3. Maintain personal purity (verses 3-5). Purity was maintained by Samuel in his own conscience, in the people’s eyes, and from God’s perspective. We need to examine our hearts before God and man. If we’ve slandered our leaders more than we’ve prayed for them, we need to ask God’s forgiveness. To be honorable vessels of use in times of moral decay, we’ll need to examine and cleanse decay in our own lives first.

4. Confront with the evidence (verses 6-13 and 16-18). Samuel’s challenge was, “Now then, stand here, because I am going to confront you with evidence.” He reminded the people of God’s acts in their behalf and he revealed the people’s foolishness. Then “the people stood in awe of the Lord and of Samuel.” Do our neighbors stand in wonder of God because of our lifestyles?

In The Knowledge of the Holy, A. W. Tozer wrote, “the heaviest obligation lying upon the Christian Church today is to purify and elevate her concept of God until it is once more worthy of Him.” When the Church reveals the true God, people watching will stand in awe of his majesty and prefer his ways to anything labeled “politically correct.”

5. Offer directions for success (verses 14-15). It would be cruel to show what’s wrong without offering directions for returning to what’s right. Samuel offered four steps for success. Fear God, serve God, obey God, and follow God. Run the checklist. Am I reverencing God? How am I serving him? Am I obeying him; even in the littlest of things? Am I walking ahead of him or following him? Godly living will speak louder than empty preaching.

6. Motivate wholeheartedness (verses 20-25). Samuel reassured the people, “Do not be afraid.” He upheld the name of the Lord and underscored the fact that God would not reject his people. Then he warned them, “Do not turn away.” We must not turn disgusted backs on policies or policy makers. Playing skillfully involves keeping up with the issues, writing editorials, chairing politically-active boards, calling Congress, and running for office ourselves.

7. Intercede with urgency (verses 19, 23a). The peoples’ request of Samuel? “Pray to the Lord your God.” Samuel’s reply? “Far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you.” If God’s people won’t pray, who will stand in the moral gap and intercede?

8. Be bold with gentleness (verse 25). Samuel picked no bones. “If you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away.” We must assert God’s truth, remembering that the only thing that separates spiritual boldness from ‘bullyness’ is humility. We once plugged our ears to God’s call on our lives, too.

Will you join me in the following prayer? “Far be it from us, O Lord that we should sin against you by failing to pray for our country, and we will teach our neighbors by example your good and right way. Help us!” (Paraphrase of I Samuel 12:23)

This is the second article in a three-part series.