Waiting for the Signal Change (1 Samuel 14:29-32)

Ever wait at an intersection with traffic lights and the lights do not change on the anticipated schedule?

You sit in your car and wonder if there a glitch in the program? Is it the time of day when traffic in the opposite direction must be given priority? Are we being filmed as part of a prank to see what we would do?

Whatever the reason, after a seemingly agonizing period of time, one or more cars slowly inch their way into and through the intersection, wary of any oncoming traffic, and violating the red light. Finally, the majority of waiting cars follow, until either the light finally changes or oncoming traffic makes it too dangerous to cross.

Admittedly, this is not the most egregious of offenses. But it does illustrate an interesting point that many of us will take the law into our own hands when we perceive something is not right or the system has failed.

But Jonathan said, “My father has troubled the land. Look now, how my countenance has brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies which they found! For now would there not have been a much greater slaughter among the Philistines?” Now they had driven back the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. So the people were very faint. And the people rushed on the spoil, and took sheep, oxen, and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the people ate them with the blood.
1 Samuel 14:29-32 (NKJV)

The people feared the command of King Saul. But Jonathan, his son, was unaware of his father’s command and unknowingly disobeyed it. When warned of his wrong by the people, he dismissed the threat saying that it was okay, given the circumstances. That did it! A floodgate was unleashed and not only did the rest of the people also disobey the King’s command, they violated their own Levitical laws be eating the animals with their blood.

I know I have been guilty of going along with the crowd, especially when the situation appeared to justify the transgression. But sin is sin and although we may attempt to justify our actions, reasoning that our transgression represents shades of gray and not black and white, it is still sin.

It is painful to hold all of our actions to the light of God’s Truth. But allowing ourselves a minor transgression can sometimes lead to a slippery slope of larger and more serious sins. Ask God to help you be honest with all of your actions.

Trust and love the Lord; seek His will in your life.