The prophet that anointed Saul had served Israel faithfully for his entire life. We remember the barren Hannah, his mother, who dedicated his life to serving God if He would bless her with a son. God gave her Samuel. She weened him and turned him over to the Priests. Eli was not the most faithful of priests, and his sons, Hophni and Phineas, were the worst possible priests. In spite of that, Samuel faithfully served God. In 1 Samuel 12:3, Samuel seems to be turning over the reins of the kingdom to Saul in his farewell address. He describes himself by saying, “I am old and grey, and my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth until this day… whose ox have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? From whose hand have I taken a bribe?” The nation responds with the pronouncement of innocence of Samuel.” Samuel lived his life in a glass bowl for the entire nation of Israel to observe. In the end, there is no one to make a charge against him. What a wonderful way to finish.
Ogilvie comments, “The integrity of Samuel stands as a model for us today. I can still remember the shock that many registered when they learned that bribes are a standard part of doing business in many countries. There was almost a patronizing tone in the voices of those who insisted that though we do not believe in these practices, we have no other option if we hope to be involved in world trade. But in recent years, we have had stockbrokers imprisoned for insider trading, defense contractors fined for cheating the public out of hundreds of millions of dollars, enthusiastic alumni exposed for paying money under the table to college athletes, and countless public officials convicted for betraying the public trust. While we live in a high-tech society with amazing potential for improving the lot of people, improvement isn’t happening because there are too many people in too many high places whose lives and work lack integrity. To be able to come to the end of a career of any sort with Samuel’s ‘clean hands’ would be a noble goal for anyone.”
Well, I think it is probably too late for most of us. We’ve already messed up our lives and reputations in one way or another, but maybe we can finish well. Although I’ve had a rocky start in life, I sure would love to finish well. In the culture we live in, this is not an easy task. More than how you start, it is how you finish. One writer observed, “Leaving a rich legacy depends upon finishing well, and the odds are against you. Research on leaders from biblical and church history has documented the fact that few leave a positive legacy. In fact, according to Dr. Robert Clinton, only about one in three leaders finish well. The odds in the marketplace maybe even worse. From Enron’s corporate fraud to the Catholic Church’s sex abuse scandals to the headlines of the local paper, we are bombarded with real-life reminders that it is difficult to achieve great things, maintain integrity, and finish well. Many capable people who have had worthy dreams have failed to leave a positive legacy because they could not overcome flaws in their character. This is the legacy challenge—the difference between achievement and character, the gap between doing and being.”[1]
[1] Moore, Steve. 2004. The Dream Cycle: Identify and Achieve God’s Purpose for Your Life. Indianapolis, IN: WPH.