Lessons From a Muddy Ditch

Then the word of the LORD came to Samuel: “I regret that I have made Saul king, because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions.” Samuel was angry, and he cried out to the LORD all that night. 1^st Samuel 15:10-11 (NIV)

I will never forget a sermon where my pastor wanted to demonstrate to us how a little sin defiles a lot. It had rained the previous night, and on his way to church, he stopped at a ditch and filled a jar with muddy water. He presented to us a bottle of purified water, pouring it into a clean drinking glass. He then asked, “How many of you would be willing to take a drink from this glass?”

Many of us raised our hands. He then took an eye dropper and put three drops of muddy ditch water into the glass of water and asked, “How about now?” He had no takers, for pristine water is always the better choice over water that has been tainted. In a glass of 100% purity, a mere 3 drops, or 3% impurity, was enough to cause us to reject his offer.

Saul had begun his rule as king over Israel with what seemed a heart dedicated to serving God fully and obediently. But Saul was a three percenter, willing to be satisfied with only adequate obedience to God but remained willing to keep drinking the taint.

At this time, he had probably ruled over the nation for some twenty years, but his spiritual commitment had spiraled down into megalomania, setting up a monument in his own honor, and intending to execute his own son, Jonathan, over a foolish vow, he, Saul, had made. It took the intervention of the army stepping in to save the young man’s life.

God had directed Saul to destroy the Amalekite people who had opposed Israel’s passage in their sojourn out of Egypt some 450 years before. God had given the descendants of Amalek centuries to repent, yet they refused, and with His patience run out, His justice, as always, prevailed. As they refused to repent God directed Saul to destroy everything of the Amalekites, including the people, their substance, and even every animal.

Saul disobeyed God’s direct command by taking their king, Agag, alive, and keeping the good livestock, killing off the “despised and weak” animals (v 15:9). When Samuel saw it, he was displeased and said, “What have you done?” Saul immediately went to lying to justify his disobedience. Samuel cut him off and said ”Enough!” then pronounced the judgment of the LORD on him (vv15:15-23).

It is interesting to note God said Saul had turned away from Him which means God's faithfulness had never wavered. A part of Saul’s heart was willing to be content drinking the three percent. Three percent does not seem like that much or even enough to lose a kingdom over, but a 3% taint for God is 3% too much for His purity to accept. Being king was not dependent on valor or great leadership. It was dependent on heart attitude, and God had found one in the young shepherd David from the family of Jesse of Bethlehem. This choice to replace Saul as king would be to raise up a man whose love, devotion, and commitment were in line with His own heart (I Sam. 13:14, Acts 13:22).

David would certainly commit some glaring sins, but because he had a heart for the LORD, he was quick to see his fault, confess it, take responsibility, make restitution where he could, repenting (turning away from the sin), and asking forgiveness. In other words, being willing to reject the 3%.

We will see David display a steadfast heart for the King of Glory. Even with all of David’s failures God would bless him with a kingdom that would last forever (2nd Samuel 7:11-16, 25-29). God has given this Eternal King to the Jew first and then to we Gentiles (Luke 24:47, Romans 1:16) in His Son Jesus Christ, a fully righteous king who will rule forever on the throne of His ancestor David.

David composed a psalm that acknowledges Him when he asks “Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty—he is the King of glory” (Psalm 24:10). He does not give us 97% of his time or care. He is a 100% beneficent King in His care and calls us to be 100% committed to Him in our obedience and service.

We need not be content with a 3% taint from a spiritual ditch. He offers the freshest and cleanest living water imaginable, which will quench our spiritual thirst (John 4:14, 7:37). It will be, in its purity, rivers of living water welling up to eternal life. We will become the man or woman with a heart after His own. If God believes we can do it, we can trust and believe it too. Let us not be only hearers of the word and be deceived, let us be doers (James 1:22), 100% of the time. Grace and peace to you this week.

Ken