identity and calling

WORD: 1 Samuel 16

¹The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.” ²Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the Lord said, “Take a heifer with you, and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ ³Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.” ⁴Samuel did what the Lord commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, “Do you come peaceably?” ⁵He said, “Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
  ⁶When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is now before the Lord.” ⁷But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” ⁸Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” ⁹Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” ¹⁰Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any of these.” ¹¹Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” ¹²He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” ¹³Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

OBSERVE:

The covenant with God was not enough for the people.  They wanted a King.  They didn't know what they were asking for.  The Covenant with God was a binding relationship and promise made by God to the people.  This covenant gave them their identity as God's chosen people. 
Kingship entails responsibility to represent God.  The King idea was not Gods.  It was the people of Israel's complaint for a King, despite God's warnings.  Kings will take your sons and daughters, raise taxes, start wars.  God gives them a King.  King Saul, first of Israel's Kings, lost favor with God.  Saul's hubris, self-determination, and the misuse of power compel God to turn away from him.  He did not represent God's interests.  God is determined to replace Saul with a new King, from Bethlehem. 
Samuel the prophet/judge is sent to the household of Jesse, grandson of Ruth and Boaz, from the family of Judah, son of Jacob (Israel).  A procession of sons is brought before Samuel, God's representative. We are told God does not choose people based on outward appearance or stature, but God looks on the heart.  When all the sons of Jesse are rejected, the last son, the forgotten shepherd boy David is brought in.  He is young, ruddy, and handsome.  God chooses David to become King.  Unexpected.  The last son becomes the first.  Not unlike the story of Jacob or Joseph (Genesis 26-50).  God chooses what is foolish to shame the wise; the weak to shame the strong. 

REFLECT

In God's Kingdom, the last and the least become first. This pattern is critical in understanding the mission of God.  God chooses the weak, the small, the despised, the last, the least, the losers, the bottom, the desperate, the hungry, the humble shepherd to represent God's interests in the world.  Those who sit on thrones in halls of power in fancy clothes with rich foods and comfortable beds are not chosen by this God.  God empowers the powerless. God lifts up the lowly.  And the mighty are cast down from their thrones.  This theme, beginning with David, becomes the story of Jesus, a humble servant, carpenter's son, rabbi to fishermen and tax collectors. In Baptism, we are chosen and anointed to serve.  We are invited into the family of God and challenged to build the Kingdom.  We are given a new identity as sons and daughter of God.  We are called to a new obedience to represent God's interests in the world.  Jesus reveals to us God's interests, God's desire, God's hope and intentions for human kind.  He teaches us what God wants us to become and do.   He inspires us with His Spirit and words. 
We elect representatives in this country to represent our interests in the halls of power and to use the authority given them by their constituents to enact and enforce laws for the common good.  When those people fail to represent us, they are defeated in future election. 
What happens when we fail to represent God's interests in the world?  Can we be replaced?  Though our covenant identity as children of God never ends, we have responsibility to uphold as God's chosen ones.  Not to preserve ourselves, but to bless others.  That is the role of God's children--to be a blessing to others, a light to the nations, a feast of rich food, a well in the desert.  When we don't, God empowers others in our place.  Sometimes, God's people forget that we get to be part of God's kingdom-building work.  That we're charged to live as humble servants.  We are invited and challenged to embrace both our identity and calling; our relationship and role as God's  representatives. 

PRAY

 Father,  in Holy Baptism, we were anointed and chosen, identified as beloved children of God and sent to bless the world.  Claim us.  Empower us.  Send us.  When we fail, forgive us and give us another chance to represent you.  In the name of Jesus. Amen.