Today's Favorite Verse: 1 Samuel 15:24
"And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice."
This is the driving force that caused Saul to disobey the word of the Lord and do what he thought was right in his own eyes. It was a fear of the people and not God. He loved the adoration of the people and wanted to look big in their eyes. It was pride. It was pride that made him offer burnt offerings when he had no authority to do so. It was pride that made him keep the spoils of war against the Lord's command, and then try to justify it by giving them as offerings. It is because of pride and disobedience that the Lord rent the kingdom from him.
"Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall."
(Proverbs 16:18)
"Perhaps the greatest obstacle to our ability to hearken courageously to the word of the Lord involves our egos, vain ambitions, and pride. It seems that the proud find it burdensome to hear and accept the instruction of God. We are told in Proverbs that “pride goeth before destruction”. The proud are more anxious about man’s judgment than they are of God’s judgment."
(H. David Burton, "Courage to Hearken", Apr 1994 General Conference)
"And behold, how oft you have transgressed the commandments and the laws of God, and have gone on in the persuasions of men.
For, behold, you should not have feared man more than God. Although men set at naught the counsels of God, and despise his words—"
(Doctrine and Covenants 3:6-7)
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