Is Obedience Really Better than Sacrifice???

1 Samuel 15:22 (NASB)
“Samuel said, ‘Does the Lord have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord?  Behold, to obey is better than a sacrifice, and to pay attention is better than the fat of rams.’”

Whenever interacting with scripture translations it is important to remember that the very process of translation itself, no matter how hard one tries to the contrary, ultimately includes a heavy degree of bias.  Words are not black-and-white but contain extensive nuance that require the translator to make judgement calls as to which meaning of a word is the one most likely intended by the original author.  The translator’s own perceptions, theological framework, and experience hugely impacts their decision.  Even so-called ‘literal’ translations, while quite helpful, invariably contain heavy bias. 

Such is the case with the word rendered ‘obey’ in 1 Samuel 15:22.  שָׁמַע (šāmaʿ) (Strong’s #8085) means to hear, to listen, to give something or someone a large degree of weight or authority, to pay close attention to with the end goal of CONFORMING.

Notice in particular the word ‘conforming’.  What does that make you think of?  It brings to my mind Romans 8:29 which says: “For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF HIS SON, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren.”

Our English word ‘obey’ implies ME bending MY will, through considerable personal effort, to HIS will.  But שָׁמַע actually means GOD bending my will to His will through the process of conforming (molding, transforming, refashioning).  Make no mistake: I cannot conform myself!  Only the Spirit can do that.  He alone is the change agent. 

Even in the directive to ‘obey’, we find Papa having prepared a path of Love and Grace that takes the effort and responsibility out of our hands and places it safely in His own.  As we hear (listen to) Him, He conforms us to the image of the Son. 

So what then is ‘obedience?’  Giving diligent attention and weight to Love and allowing HIM to conform us subjectively into all we are, and always have been, objectively. 

That’s my Papa! 

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