He Couldn't Handle Success

Have you ever known someone who had the traits of likeability, kindness, and concern for others until they were promoted or achieved some recognized measure of success? The person you thought you knew is now impatient, less approachable, defensive, self-absorbed, and uninterested in your life and the lives of others.  You try to imagine what happened to make this person so different. ​

Meditation
1 Samuel 15:23,24--For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and defiance is like wickedness and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king. Saul answered Samuel, “I have sinned. I have transgressed the Lord’s command and your words. Because I was afraid of the people, I obeyed them.
 
Israel had to have a king, to be like everyone else.  So their prophet Samuel, reluctantly, conceded and, following God’s guidance, anointed Saul from the tribe of Benjamin to lead them.  At first, Saul seemed like a good choice. Tall and brave, he led his people to victory over their enemies, the Ammonites. Next, he led his army to defeat Moab, Edom, the kings of Zobah, and the Philistines (14:47).  But it was not long before he began to get full of himself, which means empty of God. Saul set up a monument for himself in Carmel after defeating the Amalekites (15:12). But Samuel gave Saul God’s specific guidance on what to do to the Amalekites and their possessions, and the king disobeyed. A very old and grieved Samuel called him out for his inability to obey God.
            
Instead of immediately confessing his wrongdoing, Saul concocted excuses. Only when Samuel continued to point out his disobedience did the king admit he was wrong. Sadly, his rebellious attitude cost him his throne. Israel’s first king would have no dynasty.
            
Beware of success. It can blind leaders into believing they set their own rules and break those they no longer respect or find useful. When leaders view success as their own making, they are susceptible to a dangerous pride stimulant further fed by whispered compliments and shouts of adulation. Soon, they justify half-truths for worldly gain. They fear losing the admiration or acceptance of the crowd and will do almost anything to stay in power.  

Oswald Chambers wrote in My Utmost for His Highest, “Jesus told the disciples not to rejoice in successful service, and yet this seems to be the one thing in which most of us do rejoice.” Only when we attribute success to God’s blessing and approval are we set up to attain understanding, contain pride, sustain love for others, and retain the recognition that, at the core, we are flawed people dependent upon God’s grace. Saul couldn’t handle success. The question is, can we?
 
Inspiration
“Most all of us go through life trying to be successful at something.  The problem is, we pursue the success that our culture has defined for us rather than the success our Maker designed for us.”—Todd G. Gongwer in Lead for God’s Sake

©2025 Daniel York ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals, go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed, subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)