Useful Bible Studies > 1 Samuel Commentary > chapter 2
In this world, hardly anyone really respects poor people and humble people. Rich people receive honour; proud people have authority (Mark 10:42).
God’s opinion about people is very different from ours (16:7). The things that impress people do not impress God. God sees the true attitude of a person’s heart. It is a humble attitude that impresses God most (Isaiah 57:15). It is better to be humble than to give even the most valuable gifts to God (Micah 6:6-8). A ‘humble’ person is willing to learn the lessons that God teaches and to obey his instructions. So God gives people the importance that they really deserve. Where he rules, he gives authority to humble people. He does not neglect poor people, but he provides for them. All his people receive honour, because they are the loyal servants of God their King.
Clearly God will do these things in the future, when his power and authority will be complete. However, he has already started to do these things, even in the present age. He changes people’s situation. Proud kings and powerful governments can suddenly lose their authority (Daniel 5:22-31). The strongest rulers can become weak in a moment of time (Daniel 4:28-33). In the end, wealth and power can protect nobody. All people must die and so they must lose their money, their authority and their importance.
Even in his world, God can give honour to his humble servants. David was a humble man (2 Samuel 7:18-21), but God appointed him to be king of Israel.
We may ask why God approves so strongly of humble attitudes. The answer is that only a humble person can truly trust God. Proud people trust in themselves: their own greatness, their wealth or their authority. Because they care so much about themselves, they do not respect God. So only a humble person gives God the honour that he deserves.
Next part: God will separate good people from wicked people (1 Samuel 2:9)
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© 2014, Keith Simons.