Second Best

We want God’s best for our lives. We like His best for our children. We don’t wish for the second best, or anything beyond that, for that matter. Unfortunately, we as Christians find ourselves derailed and off the best path that God had planned for us, and instead, we settle for something less than best, something that’s just o.k. Are you tired of second best? I know I am. Maybe you have found yourself far from God’s best, and you aren’t quite sure how you got there. Did you know that the nation of Israel had this very same problem? They settled for second best when they demanded a King in their timing, and therefore, their king was not part of God’s timing. Fortunately, they left us a trail of digression that we can use to avoid the same poor choices.

In the passages in this account in the book of first Samuel, we see the trail that led them away from God’s best for them. It was not that God had not planned for His people to be ruled by a king; it was that this was not His timing and His plan. He had all of these details worked out for their future (See 1 Sam. 2:10), but they could not wait for it; they needed it now, and they got exactly what they asked for. God made allowance for them and stepped aside as they ushered in the rule of the monarchy. Unfortunately, it was only God’s second best, not His first choice.

A key mistake they made was focusing on the horizontal, not the vertical. Before we judge the nation of Israel too harshly, let’s look at the reasons they got distracted. First, Samuel experienced disappointment and hurt (1 Sam. 8:1-4). What a bigger disappointment than to have your children make bad choices? Samuel was in that very position. Looking back at Eli and his sons, Hophni and Phineas (1 Sam. 2:22), Eli shared the blame for the spiritual state of his sons. He knew of their sin and even participated in it at times, and therefore he bore the responsibility for the rebellion of his sons. However, this passage, 8:2, doesn’t say that Samuel was a partaker in the sins of his sons. It says they were not like their father. They made bad choices despite what they had been taught. Can you imagine the disappointment that Samuel felt? The hurt? Because of these disappointments, Israel demanded a “new” way to be led.

They allowed these hurts to pull their gaze off the Lord and onto man. Can Satan use our children to cause us to choose second best in life? Can Satan use our closest friends to get our eyes off Christ? Can he use our spouse? The answer is a resounding yes!  If we all could say we have a “panic” button that when pressed we become paralyzed in service for Christ, then that “panic” button would certainly be the hurts and disappointments of those closest to us. Jesus never disappoints us and we must strive to never let our hurts pull our gaze off Jesus.

Then, we see jealousy and envy (1 Sam. 8:5) These two ugly monsters are so destructive. Israel saw the others around them and they wanted what the other nations had. It’s the “pasture is greener on the other side” mentality. Unfortunately, when we allow jealousy and envy to infiltrate our hearts, we always take our eyes off Jesus and choose second best. When we feel the root of Jealousy growing inside of us, we confess it immediately.

Ask God to give you the strength to keep looking up. Jealousy left unchecked and allowed to grow will destroy you. It will lead down a path that is not God’s best. The nation of Israel allowed their hurts, disappointments, jealousy, and envy to lead them to second best. But the trail left for us is to remember to look up, keep our eyes on Jesus, and not let disappointments and hurts lead our hearts astray.