Be Careful What You Wish For ... You Just Might Get It!
Stories
Lectionary Tales for the Pulpit
Series VI, Cycle B
Object:
This is graduation time in many communities. We offer our graduates congratulations on a job well done -- the emphasis for parents is on well, but we know the emphasis for the graduates is on done.
Of course, at this time, the expectation is that we should pass on some words of wisdom. After all, graduation exercises are called commencements -- beginnings. As graduates begin this next stage of life, they wonder what lies ahead. We who have "Been there, done that, got the T-shirt" are expected to offer advice or encouragement to get graduates going. What should we say?
Here is one piece of advice that comes right out of the lectionary reading. The prophet Samuel says, "Be careful what you wish for ... you just might get it!"
You remember what happened. The high muckety-mucks of the nation came to Samuel with what was probably not an unreasonable request. They wanted a change in the way they were being governed. In years past, they had followed the lead of those judges whom God had appointed, of whom Samuel was held in highest regard. But now, these "judgeships" were being passed from father to son just as monarchies go from kings to princes. And, as is often the case, the current crop of Israelite "judge-princes" was not the best. In fact, Samuel's own sons, Joel and Abijah, judges in Beer-Sheba, fell into that category; under their administration, "justice" was no justice at all -- it was for sale to the highest bidder. No wonder the people came with their request. "Appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have" (v. 5).
The Philistines may well have been the "other nations" in the back of the elders' minds. The Philistines were Israel's biggest enemy at this time, and they had a king. They lived on the coast, and were successful traders, controlling the highway between Egypt and the fertile crescent. They had a highly organized military with iron weapons. In contrast, Israel was poor and disorganized -- a loose confederation of tribes, and still stuck in the bronze age. They had some iron agricultural implements, but no iron weapons, and no blacksmiths. Could it be that Israel, poor, rural, and technologically weak, was tired of getting kicked around and wanted to emulate the rich, urban, technologically advanced Philistines? "Appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have" (v. 5).
Samuel was not pleased. As might be expected, he was personally insulted. His leadership was being called into question. And, just as any other dad, he responded, "You attack my kids, you attack me!" But to the prophet's credit, his first response is not to lash out, but rather to lift up ... prayer.
The Lord's response is gentle. "It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you" (vv. 7-8). Then God says something interesting: "Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do" (v. 9).
"Warn them." That is one of the prophet's jobs. Someone has likened the prophet to the canary that miners take down in the mine with them. A coal mine used to be one of the most treacherous places you could go because poisonous gases could form and snuff out your life before you had any idea there was a problem. So the miners would take a canary with them. The canary is much more sensitive to the quality of air around it than a human being. If it looked sick, drooped, or fell dead, the miners knew they had to get to the surface ... and now! Prophets, in ancient Israel and in the modern world, are like canaries in that they have a heightened sensitivity to our moral atmosphere. If there is poison in the air, the prophet knows it. No one else may have seen anything wrong, but the prophet has -- thus, the warning to act before it is too late.
So Samuel does. In spades! Be careful what you wish for ... you just might get it! "This is what the king who will reign over you will do" (v. 11). You want a warrior king, one to lead you in battle? Okay -- guess who will be driving the king's chariots and riding the king's horses into the fray. Your sons! Guess who gets to be the king's infantry. That's right, your sons again! And, of course, the king, as commander-in-chief, will need some subordinates -- generals, colonels, captains, and lieutenants. Who are they? That's right, your boys.
That is not all, of course. The king does not dirty his hands. He will also need tenant farmers to plow his fields and reap his harvest. He will need workers to manufacture his weapons and rolling stock. Who will they be? Whom do you think?
Oh, and don't forget, a king lives like ... well, a king! How does he manage? "He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves" (vv. 13-17). Still want a king?
We know what the people answered. "We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations ..." (v. 20). Too bad.
Perhaps Israel's greatest mistake is captured in that one sentence: "Then we will be like all the other nations." To this point, Israel had been special ... unique. And this had been God's intention -- Israel was not to be like the rest of the nations; they were to be a light to them. Israel's security did not reside in political stratagem or military might, but in Yahweh, who embarrassed the powerful Egyptians at the Red Sea, who provided and guided in the wilderness, who brought them victorious into the promised land. They and they alone could have shown the nations of the world that power comes from God and God alone. But no. "We want a king over us." They opted for a different sort of power. Be careful what you wish for ... you just might get it!
Israel got their king. Down through the centuries that followed, some of their monarchs were good, but most were not. More battles were lost than won. There was a period during which the whole nation was carried off into exile. Finally, almost 2,000 years would go by without a homeland to call their own. Even to this day, long after the departure of their last kings, Israel's land is in dispute. They came to Samuel wanting new leadership, a new form of government, a king ... to be like everybody else. Uh-huh. What's that you say? Be careful what you wish for?
Having said all that, the question arises, "Where do this year's graduates fit in all this?" Granted, not too many of them are looking for a king, but lots are looking to "be like other 'nations,' " to keep up with the proverbial Joneses, whoever they might be. Word has it that the graduates these days have been heavily oriented toward the trappings of success -- jobs, homes, cars, things. Not all graduates, of course, but many, many, many. But, for those graduates who have a special relationship with the Lord (as the nation of Israel had), a relationship that has taught what is ultimately important (and conversely what is not important) our advice is to be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.
Of course, at this time, the expectation is that we should pass on some words of wisdom. After all, graduation exercises are called commencements -- beginnings. As graduates begin this next stage of life, they wonder what lies ahead. We who have "Been there, done that, got the T-shirt" are expected to offer advice or encouragement to get graduates going. What should we say?
Here is one piece of advice that comes right out of the lectionary reading. The prophet Samuel says, "Be careful what you wish for ... you just might get it!"
You remember what happened. The high muckety-mucks of the nation came to Samuel with what was probably not an unreasonable request. They wanted a change in the way they were being governed. In years past, they had followed the lead of those judges whom God had appointed, of whom Samuel was held in highest regard. But now, these "judgeships" were being passed from father to son just as monarchies go from kings to princes. And, as is often the case, the current crop of Israelite "judge-princes" was not the best. In fact, Samuel's own sons, Joel and Abijah, judges in Beer-Sheba, fell into that category; under their administration, "justice" was no justice at all -- it was for sale to the highest bidder. No wonder the people came with their request. "Appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have" (v. 5).
The Philistines may well have been the "other nations" in the back of the elders' minds. The Philistines were Israel's biggest enemy at this time, and they had a king. They lived on the coast, and were successful traders, controlling the highway between Egypt and the fertile crescent. They had a highly organized military with iron weapons. In contrast, Israel was poor and disorganized -- a loose confederation of tribes, and still stuck in the bronze age. They had some iron agricultural implements, but no iron weapons, and no blacksmiths. Could it be that Israel, poor, rural, and technologically weak, was tired of getting kicked around and wanted to emulate the rich, urban, technologically advanced Philistines? "Appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have" (v. 5).
Samuel was not pleased. As might be expected, he was personally insulted. His leadership was being called into question. And, just as any other dad, he responded, "You attack my kids, you attack me!" But to the prophet's credit, his first response is not to lash out, but rather to lift up ... prayer.
The Lord's response is gentle. "It is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you" (vv. 7-8). Then God says something interesting: "Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do" (v. 9).
"Warn them." That is one of the prophet's jobs. Someone has likened the prophet to the canary that miners take down in the mine with them. A coal mine used to be one of the most treacherous places you could go because poisonous gases could form and snuff out your life before you had any idea there was a problem. So the miners would take a canary with them. The canary is much more sensitive to the quality of air around it than a human being. If it looked sick, drooped, or fell dead, the miners knew they had to get to the surface ... and now! Prophets, in ancient Israel and in the modern world, are like canaries in that they have a heightened sensitivity to our moral atmosphere. If there is poison in the air, the prophet knows it. No one else may have seen anything wrong, but the prophet has -- thus, the warning to act before it is too late.
So Samuel does. In spades! Be careful what you wish for ... you just might get it! "This is what the king who will reign over you will do" (v. 11). You want a warrior king, one to lead you in battle? Okay -- guess who will be driving the king's chariots and riding the king's horses into the fray. Your sons! Guess who gets to be the king's infantry. That's right, your sons again! And, of course, the king, as commander-in-chief, will need some subordinates -- generals, colonels, captains, and lieutenants. Who are they? That's right, your boys.
That is not all, of course. The king does not dirty his hands. He will also need tenant farmers to plow his fields and reap his harvest. He will need workers to manufacture his weapons and rolling stock. Who will they be? Whom do you think?
Oh, and don't forget, a king lives like ... well, a king! How does he manage? "He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves" (vv. 13-17). Still want a king?
We know what the people answered. "We want a king over us. Then we will be like all the other nations ..." (v. 20). Too bad.
Perhaps Israel's greatest mistake is captured in that one sentence: "Then we will be like all the other nations." To this point, Israel had been special ... unique. And this had been God's intention -- Israel was not to be like the rest of the nations; they were to be a light to them. Israel's security did not reside in political stratagem or military might, but in Yahweh, who embarrassed the powerful Egyptians at the Red Sea, who provided and guided in the wilderness, who brought them victorious into the promised land. They and they alone could have shown the nations of the world that power comes from God and God alone. But no. "We want a king over us." They opted for a different sort of power. Be careful what you wish for ... you just might get it!
Israel got their king. Down through the centuries that followed, some of their monarchs were good, but most were not. More battles were lost than won. There was a period during which the whole nation was carried off into exile. Finally, almost 2,000 years would go by without a homeland to call their own. Even to this day, long after the departure of their last kings, Israel's land is in dispute. They came to Samuel wanting new leadership, a new form of government, a king ... to be like everybody else. Uh-huh. What's that you say? Be careful what you wish for?
Having said all that, the question arises, "Where do this year's graduates fit in all this?" Granted, not too many of them are looking for a king, but lots are looking to "be like other 'nations,' " to keep up with the proverbial Joneses, whoever they might be. Word has it that the graduates these days have been heavily oriented toward the trappings of success -- jobs, homes, cars, things. Not all graduates, of course, but many, many, many. But, for those graduates who have a special relationship with the Lord (as the nation of Israel had), a relationship that has taught what is ultimately important (and conversely what is not important) our advice is to be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.
