Everybody else is doing it!

“Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles.” – 1 Samuel 8v19-20

Do you remember telling your parents, or hearing from your children, “Everyone else gets to do it?” Man seems to always have a knack of comparing himself to others and being jealous of what they don’t have.

The people of Israel had the same problem. As they looked around they saw that all the other nations had kings. They felt “left out” because they were not content with the ruler God gave them. Even after Samuel told them all of the evil that would come upon them, they still demanded a king, so that they could be like everyone else.

I find myself in the same trap at times. When I get my focus off of the Lord and onto the world I can be tempted to want what others have. For some Christians this gets so strong that they are willing to sacrifice doing right and following the Lord just to be like the world.

The root problem is one that comes up over and over again – it is a lack of contentment. There is “great gain” in godliness with contentment. May we forget about what everybody else has and get on serving God with what He gives us.