1 Samuel 8:4-9; 19 Finally the leaders of Israel met in Ramah to discuss the matter with Samuel. They told him that since his retirement things hadn't been the same, for his sons were not good men. "Give us a king like all the other nations have," they pleaded. Samuel was terribly upset and went to the Lord for advice. "Do as they say," the LORD replied, "for I am the one they are rejecting, not you---they don't want ME to be their king any longer. Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually forsaken ME and followed other gods. And now they are giving you the same treatment. Do as they ask, but warn them about what it will be like to have a king!". . . . But the people refused to listen to Samuel's warning. "Even so, we still want a king," they said, "for we want to be like the nations around us. He will govern us and lead us to battle." [Living Bible translation]
Summary
Samuel was GOD's prophet---GOD's messenger. But the people did not want a messenger from GOD or GOD's leadership. They wanted a king. At first Samuel was upset. Samuel had spent his entire "career" as a prophet trying to help the Israelites serve GOD and now it seemed that all of his work trying to steer the Israelites in the right direction was for nothing! Despite all that GOD had done, the Israelites wanted a king to lead them instead of GOD.
From a logical standpoint the Israelite's decision was totally irrational. Here were a people that had the opportunity to be governed by GOD---- WHO IS ALL POWERFUL, ALL KNOWING, EVERYWHERE and DIVINELY GOOD and FAIR by GOD's very nature, yet the Israelites said "NO." HE was not what they wanted!
From a physical and emotional point of view the Israelite's decision was also detrimental to their health and emotional well-being. GOD (WHO IS ALL KNOWING) actually warned the Israelites what life would be like being ruled by a king. HE warned them that it would lead to disastrous consequences. GOD warned them that the king could cause them to "shed bitter tears" (See verse 18.). GOD told them that the king would not be fair, that he would conscript them into military service, treat them like slaves and even force their daughters to serve him. Despite being forewarned, the Israelites would not be dissuaded. They wanted what they wanted.
From a spiritual point of view, the decision to choose a human king over GOD was going in the exact opposite direction the people needed to go. Instead of getting closer to GOD they moved further away. They insulted HIM. They ignored GOD. They rejected HIM. Their sole focus was on what they wanted.
1 Samuel 8:1-19 is a classic example of a people making a decision detrimental to their own physical, emotional and spiritual health--choosing what they wanted instead of choosing what they needed.
FOOD NEEDS
Although eating is one of the most common of human experiences in the world, people may give little thought to what their nutritional needs are. Most people just eat what they want. When addressing what a person's nutritional needs are, a number of variables may be considered. Some of those variables include the person's: age, level of physical activity, physical health (e.g., whether a doctor has diagnosed a disease or condition) and emotional health.
For example, the nutritional needs of a new born baby are quite different from the nutritional needs of a two year old, who would not be expected to thrive just on breast milk. The nutritional needs of a teenager, playing sports every day, running up and down a gym, are quite different from the nutritional needs of a sedentary adult watching television 4-6 hours or more a day. Similarly, the nutritional needs of adults change over time. A person who was more physically active in their 20's and 30's and much less active in their 40's, 50's and beyond may not be paying attention to their nutritional needs, if they are still eating the same way throughout all their adult years, despite the fact that their level of physical activity has markedly decreased. Most people need to adapt their diets as they age. According to Diane Rodriguez in "Meeting Your Nutritional Needs As You Age," some of the changes that may occur with aging that may require a nutritional adjustment include the following:
Your metabolism slows down. This happens naturally, but it becomes more pronounced if you don't get as much exercise as you should. When your metabolism slows, your body doesn't burn as many calories, which means you need to eat less to stay at a healthy weight. As a result, the foods you eat should be as nutrient-rich as possible. Most women with average activity levels need about 1,800 calories per day. Men with an average activity level need about 2,300 calories each day. You'll need fewer calories if you're sedentary, more if you are very active.
Your digestive system changes. Your body produces less of the fluids that it needs to process food in your digestive system when you get older. These changes can make it harder for your body to absorb important nutrients like folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12.
Your emotional health may be affected. .... [E]motional issues may cause some people to eat more and gain unwanted pounds.
Emphasis added. See, Diane Rodriguez, "Meeting Your Nutritional Needs As You Age," reviewed by Cynthia Haines, MD at www.everydayhealth.com. One of the "tips" Dr. Rodriguez gives for boosting nutritional health is to:
"Rough up" your diet. Include a variety of high-fiber foods every day, such as raw fruits and vegetables and whole grains. These foods help cut down on constipation; provide the vitamins, minerals, fiber, and nutrients that you need for healthy aging; help maintain your weight; and reduce your risk of heart problems. If you're not sure you're getting enough fiber, talk to your doctor.
Emphasis added. Id. If you don't know what your nutritional needs are for your age, weight, level of activity and physical and emotional health, or medical condition consult your physician.
SHOPPING FOR FOOD
When shopping for food, try to shop for foods you need rather than for foods you see or just want. Make a list of what you need before you go shopping. If you find your cart (or your cabinets at home) filled with high sodium, high sugar content foods, fast food, (or things you KNOW you don't need but just want) get rid of the things harmful to your health or that undermine good nutrition. Before entering a food checkout line take a second look at your cart and ask yourself this questions: "Am I buying what I NEED or am I just buying what I WANT." If the answer is "WANT," then say a prayer and ask for help and strength to put harmful items back and step away. We could easily substitute "shopping for food" with shopping for clothes, shoes, electronic toys, relationships or any other "thing" where we have difficulty distinguishing needs from wants.
CONSULT YOUR OTHER PHYSICIAN
The Israelites are confronted with the same choices that we are confronted with today:
- Will we do what is best for our physical and emotional health, even though we have been forewarned of the consequences or will we ignore what we need and just do what we want?
- Will we get closer to GOD--believing that HE IS ALL POWERFUL, GOOD, EVERYWHERE and able do wondrous things in our lives---even in our times of weakness--- when we turn to HIM or will we just give in to our wants and ignore GOD.
Let today be a day of reflection---- NEEDS or WANTS?
Pray that each of us makes the right choice and BE BLESSED!
