Verse: 1 Samuel 9: 1-5
1There was a Benjamite, a man of standing, whose name was Kish son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Bekorath, the son of Aphiah of Benjamin. 2 Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else. 3 Now the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys.” 4 So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them. 5 When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, “Come, let’s go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us.”
Title: The good Saul
Message: The lost are sought and obedience to the parents and concern for their feelings must be manifested by each child. These are the important messages I learned from the text. Kish let his son seek the lost animals, an act which made me realize how the old man gave importance to God's provisions. When Kish Saul's father ordered him to look for the lost asses, the son immediately complied. And when Saul thought that he and the servant had spent much time looking for the animals, he decided to come home that he might not cause grief upon his aged father.
Promise to Claim: Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” (Ephesians 6:1–3)
Command to Obey: Let us be obedient to and respectful of our parents. Let us be considerate of their feelings, too. Note that, each of our deeds affect them regardless of its category.
Warning to Heed: Disobedience will bring us sufferings or death.
Application: As a parent, I need to continue modeling obedience and concern for my very own parents that my children will completely understand the ideas taught. I will share to them Saul's experience for them to know his worth-emulating qualities as a son and that they themselves will continuously manifest such.
