Later Samuel called all the people of Israel to meet before the LORD at Mizpah. And he said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, has declared: I brought you from Egypt and rescued you from the Egyptians and from all of the nations that were oppressing you. But though I have rescued you from your misery and distress, you have rejected your God today and have said, ‘No, we want a king instead!’ Now, therefore, present yourselves before the LORD by tribes and clans.” So Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel before the LORD, and the tribe of Benjamin was chosen by lot. Then he brought each family of the tribe of Benjamin before the LORD, and the family of the Matrites was chosen. And finally Saul son of Kish was chosen from among them. But when they looked for him, he had disappeared! So they asked the LORD, “Where is he?” And the LORD replied, “He is hiding among the baggage.” So they found him and brought him out, and he stood head and shoulders above anyone else. Then Samuel said to all the people, “This is the man the LORD has chosen as your king. No one in all Israel is like him!” And all the people shouted, “Long live the king!” 1 SAMUEL 10:17-24 NLT
Then the LORD said to Moses… there is no one like me in all the earth. EXODUS 9:13-14 NLT
Motivation: Significance
Now when Saul had secured his grasp on Israel’s throne, he fought against his enemies in every direction. He performed great deeds… saving Israel from all those who had plundered them. 1 SAMUEL 14:47-48 NLT
Need: To Be Unique
Avoids: Being Basic
Focuses On: What’s Missing
Core Sin: Envy
Fear: Being Unnoticed
This was their song: “Saul has killed his thousands,and David his ten thousands!” This made Saul very angry. “What’s this?” he said. “They credit David with ten thousands and me with only thousands. Next they’ll be making him their king!” So from that time on Saul kept a jealous eye on David. 1 SAMUEL 18:7-9 NLT
Underlying Emotion: Shame (Ashamed of being ordinary)
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. PSALMS 139:14 NLT
Transformation to embrace: Gratitude
See the beauty and talent of others as a good thing
The conflict with the Philistines was fierce all of Saul’s days, so whenever Saul noticed any strong or brave man, he enlisted him. 1 SAMUEL 14:52 CSB
Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away. So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself. 1 SAMUEL 13:8-9 NLT
Feel your emotions but follow your faith
God let me feel my emotions but follow your commands. Help me to see my uniqueness and love it the way you do. Help me to see others’ giftedness and celebrate it instead of being jealous of them.
Read through Psalm 139:13-17. God carefully crafted each piece that would come together to uniquely produce you. Verse 15 can be translated as “intricately and skillfully formed as if embroidered with many colors.” What feelings arise in you when you think that you are skillfully made? That you are uniquely made? That you are different from the people around you? Does it feel interesting, sorrowful or fearful that others may struggle to understand you? In the psalm David writes “How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!” Spend some time sitting with God, and ask him to share those thoughts with you. As you move through your week, look closely at the people around you and try to catch what is unique and beautiful about each of them.