You’re driving down to see family and there he is, right there on the freeway, that guy. Speeding in and out of traffic, cutting off several people at a time and placing danger in the path of those that don’t want it. I look over at Margie and say, “don’t be that guy.” You’re standing in line at the store and you hear a commotion behind you, there he is, that guy. He’s in a hurry, running late and needs the world to succumb to his tardiness. He asks others to let him cut in, oblivious to their needs, only his. I mutter to myself, “don’t be that guy.” You’re online checking out a post and then you see him, the troller. His language is laced with hate, anger, and vitriol. He just wants to stir people up, an instigator in a world that needs just the opposite. My heart says to me, “don’t be that guy.” Our world, unfortunately, is full of “those guys.” People that are so wrapped up in themselves, their needs, their wants, and their desires that all others seem non-existent. I’ve heard it said that when we are wrapped up in oursleves we make a very small package. True indeed.
Yes, it’s true that we need to strive to “not be that guy”, but if you really think about it, it’s not enough to just not be that guy. We can’t just be neutral and decide to not offend, disrupt, or divide. We have to be better than neutral. You see, instead of not being that guy, we need to be a new guy. A better guy. A unifier, a peacemaker. Instead of one that brings chaos and selfishness, we need to be one that brings harmony, peace, fusion, and coalescence. Yeah, that’s what we need, we need more people like this new guy. Be that guy.
Samuel is a guy like the new guy. We see in 1 Samuel chapter 7 today that Samuel is definitely “that guy.” The Israelites are coming off a nasty battle loss, the loss of the ark of God, the loss of their high priest, and well, the very loss of their vision for God. The ark is returned to them in another debacle as 70 men are killed for mis-handling it and it finally settles into a new home in Kiriath-Jearim for 20 years. And it is during this time that Samuel goes to work for God. You see, Samuel wasn’t just a nice guy. He wasn’t just polite, friendly, and courteous. Samuel was God’s man. And instead of being “that guy” that serves only himself, He was “that guy for God.”
Samuel crashes the scene and sees the state of the Israelite society not from his own eyes, but from the eyes of God. The people have lost God. In this loss, they have all become “those guys.” They are steeped in self, absorbed in sin and as a result, are suffering the judgement of God. Samuel knows a better way. Samuel knows God’s Word and what it says. And in this simple formula, Samuel will turn around a nation with the very Words of God.
“And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the Lord and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the Lord only.” 1 Samuel 7:3-4
Samuel delivers strong words from the Lord. Not complicated words, but strong words. You see, following God is never complicated but it’s not exactly easy either. Samuel’s words from the Lord carry 4 distinct things that will turn around any life. And yes, they still carry the same weight and power as when Samuel uttered them over 2650 years ago. And what I love about this passage is that Samuel is not “that guy” that separates and splinters, but “that guy” that is showing people the way back to God.
1) “If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart.” There is only way to come to God…with your heart. You can’t come to God with your mind, your actions, your deeds, or your pedigree. You can’t come to God with good intent, good intentions, or empty promises. You see, you’re not dealing with some average Joe here, you’re dealing with your Maker, the God of the Universe. He sees your heart, knows it, and comprehends all that flows from it. Until you come to God with all of your heart, you’re not coming to God. If you want to be “that guy for God”, this has to be the main part of your message. Come to God, heart first.
2) “then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you.” This is simple logic; how can you offer God your heart if it belongs to something else? The hearts of the Israelites at this time belonged to Baal and Ashtaroth. Samuel says they must first remove these false gods from their hearts before they can allow God to reside there. Now you might say, Dan, this is ridiculous, no one today worships ancient Egyptian Gods like Baal and Ashtaroth. Hold the boat Speed Racer, let me expound. Baal was the son of Dagon. Dagon was the god of grain. Baal was the god of rain and therefore could bring the rain that would water and grow the grain crops of his father. In this way the people could not only feed themselves but make money. The more rain, the more excess crops, the more money. Are you getting this? They worshiped Baal because they loved money and what it could buy. Do you know anybody in the world today that loves money more than God? Yep, I bet you do, I sure do. Ashtaroth, was the goddess of fertility and was thus directly connotated with sex. Her temples were adorned with naked female statues and you would worship in her temples by engaging in grossly immoral sexual acts with temple prostitutes that were “serving” Ashtaroth. Do you know anybody that idolizes their own sexual desires regardless of what God’s rules are concerning it? Pre-marital sex, living out of wedlock and adultery are ravaging our world today as people seek their own fleshly satisfaction. So, you see, Samuel’s demand that they put away the god’s of money and sex fit right into our world just as well as they did back then. Be “that guy for God” and instruct the world that until they put away the gods of money, sex and pride, they cannot solely have God in their hearts.
3) “and serve him only.” God will not share your heart. There are numerous verses that describe God as “a jealous God.” (Ex 20:5, Deut 4:24, Ex 34:14, Deut 6:15, 2 Cor 11:2) In fact what is the first of the 10 commandments? “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” God knew that we would seek our own fleshly desires and as a result find or create our own gods. God says He will not share our hearts. Samuel delivers a crystal clear message, have only God Almighty in your heart, and serve only Him.
4) “and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” Do you have any enemies today? More than likely there are no Philistines in your neighborhood or in your office, but I bet you have plenty of other enemies. The world is full of enemies if we openly and boldly follow Christ, the most prevalent being satan. Yep, you’ve got enemies. Can you fight them all? Can you defeat all of them? Hopefully you easily answer this as a big fat no. But I have amazing news, God will fight your enemies and He will defeat them soundly. Do you know how I know this? Because God tells me so right here. If you put all other gods of this world out of your heart, serve Him only, and do it all with a genuine heart, He will deliver you from your enemies. I love this promise from God and cling to it daily.
Today, be that guy for God. Go and tell the world the message of God. Tell the world that they don’t have to live a limited, fearful, defeated life. They don’t have to be scared of their enemies, they don’t have to worship themselves to live a life of satisfaction. Be the guy that instructs with love and confidence. Be the guy that simply tells the world what God says they can do to claim a life that is full of truth, freedom, peace, and joy. Samuel was that guy for God. This is what He did for all the days of his life. He travelled around the promised land, delivering the same message over and over. And God used him mightily.
If you were to be in a crowd in his day, you would have heard Samuel simply telling the people what God’s Word could do in their lives. And as you heard the truth and power of his message, you would have said, “be that guy.”
God bless you as you boldly tell the world about the ways of God.
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