When Godly Leadership is Unappreciated

1 Samuel 8:3–5 (ESV) Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice. 4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah 5 and said to him, “Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

The passage above describes the sons of Samuel. How often men and women of God in one generation struggle to produce God-fearing children. It's in the scriptures here to show us that even a man as noble as Samuel can fail to raise up children who disregard righteousness. 

But there's another aspect of this passage I want to investigate. You should notice the error of the young men was seeking after "gain." Was this because the righteous life of Samuel was one that shunned material possessions for the call of God? Where his sons sick of being "poor" for the Lord's sake? It may be speculation but I would suggest it is a worthy one. 

Perhaps Samuel, in seeking to be just before his nation, took less pay than he should have received. AND perhaps the people took advantage of his piety. Consider what he says at his farewell address later in the book:
1 Samuel 12:3–5 (ESV) Here I am; testify against me before the Lord and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against me and I will restore it to you.” 4 They said, “You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from any man’s hand.” 5 And he said to them, “The Lord is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.” And they said, “He is witness.”

Samuel is adamant that his life did not reflect the age in which he lives. He was financially faithful to God and to them. The wording here suggests his nation was far from it. On top of this, he's saying these words after the installation of Saul. Could this be a subtle jab at their poor choice of a king in exchange for a prophet?

When a local church does not appropriately pay the man who has been called to feed and lead them, the man may be a good soldier but his wife and children are watching and the consequences could be far-reaching. Samuel's sons are an important case study. Instead of serving the Lord they chase the monetary advantage his father resisted. In the end, the nation lost out on a potential generation of leaders who could have led them in the Lord's ways. In effect, they got leaders that looked as morally bankrupt as themselves.

YET in response to this, Israel simply rejects God's anointed man and seeks a king. They think the answer to their problems is to remove Samuel's role entirely! How foolish! 

Samuel will warn them that this king will not be the national benefactor they hope for.
1 Samuel 8:14–18 (ESV) He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. 15 He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. 16 He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work. 17 He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. 18 And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.”

Out of the frying pan and into the fire, or so it will go here. Israel pays dearly for this decision to demand a king but it may have been their own refusal to rightly and financially honor the man of God who led them faithfully for 20+ years.

I can see the worry churches have for preachers/pastors who seek monetary gain. This is also disqualifying in the scriptures (Titus 1:7). But that text doesn't mean we should keep pastors poor! (Consider 1 Timothy 5:17). The best option is for a church body to recognize the gift God has given them in their pastor and to support him financially in an appropriate way that enables him to live a lifestyle his children will not resent but enjoy! In the end, those children will see the goodness of the Lord practically lived out by the church their father serves. 

I may be way off on my interpretation of these events but I couldn't help writing it out anyway. Perhaps someone needed to hear it. Perhaps I needed to say it.