The Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”
So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David.
1 Samuel 16:12-13
Samuel came to Bethlehem to anoint a king. At first, Samuel assumed the oldest and most physically fit son of Jesse would be chosen by God to be king. However, God corrected Samuel and not only passed over the oldest but also six other sons. Finally, God told Samuel that David, the youngest son, would be anointed king. Did you catch that? Did a wise prophet make a mistake in judgment?
Is wisdom without error?
Certainly, the wise Samuel appeared immune to mistakes. He had been guided by the voice of God ever since the Creator first called to him in a dream during his youth. After hearing God’s voice, the meteoric rise of a respected prophet began. Religious leaders, the general public, and even armies all revered Samuel. His wisdom was so respected that he had the authority to anoint kings.
Where do you seek wisdom?
Humans are constantly seeking voices of wisdom. Today, I present you with a caveat: wisdom is not inerrant. Before King David, the prophet anointed King Saul, and eventually, Samuel fled in fear for his life from the very king God instructed him to bless. If Samuel was so good at seeing the future, shouldn’t he have anticipated Saul’s intent to murder him? If Samuel was in dialogue with God, why didn’t the Creator give him the inside track? If Samuel’s wisdom was so vast, why didn’t his intuition guide him? The short answer: human wisdom has limitations.
How much trust do you place in voices of wisdom?
Whether you are in recovery from addiction or living with a mental health diagnosis, you will come across some wise people. Psychiatrists, therapists, psychologists, peer support workers, counselors, clergy, and others with lived experience likely have some wisdom to share with you. In the excitement of early recovery, a person’s momentum and enthusiasm may lead them to listen to only one voice of wisdom. However, Samuel, Saul, and even David show us that voices of wisdom are still capable of being fallible. By no means should you challenge every voice of wisdom simply because they are human like you. Instead, this is a call to open your ears to as many voices of wisdom as possible.
Gracious Creator, you guide our minds and our voices. You are truly the source of wisdom.
AMEN
2 Responses
Thank you for your insight into the biblical stories on wisdom, Pastor Seth. According to Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”, including those who we perceive to be wise. Nevertheless, we can always call upon God, in prayer, to do the ‘fact checking’ for us!
I love that you mention fact checking! Perfect for this time of the year!