1 Samuel 19: Behind the folly is worship

I knew a friend outside the faith who had the opportunity to look into the finances of a committed believer. He was astonished by the generosity of the believer. I would use the word “generosity” but I suspect that in the mind of this other man, the more apt word would have been “foolishness”. I would suggest that there is a similar root behind the foolishness of living for Christ and the foolishness of Saul that is on display in this passage.

The life centered upon Christ drives a person to folly in the eyes of the world. The folly in Saul life resulted from the fact that he was centered upon something much closer to his own ego. Was it power or was it his ambition for a dynasty? Certainly an evil spirit had something to do with it. Yet, there is no place for an evil spirit in the life of one committed to God.

When we see folly we can be sure that false worship is behind it. Proverbs 1:7 says “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Worship sets the rules. The one who worships Yahweh will follow the rules (wisdom and folly) of Yahweh. When worship goes to another god, that god will set the rules for wisdom and folly. Whomever Saul was worshipping was driving him to folly. Do you know who sets the rules for your wisdom and folly?