A Tale of Two Sauls

I am really amazed about how much I don't know about the Bible, it is one of those books that both never gets old and never gets *too* comfortable once we really look at it. Nothing is more evident of that fact than what I read today in 1 Samuel 11:1-15 . On the one hand, you have this young man who is destined to be the first King of Isreal. His appointment to this position goes against everything that God desires, yet God allowed the will of the people to be honered and thus they have a King, tall and handsome and brave whom they can be physically led into battle by.
And Saul delivers. A small city is being besieged by the Amorites who offer the cruelest terms of surrender - "On this condition will I make a covenant with you, that I may thrust out all your right eyes, and lay it for a reproach upon all Israel." Strong terms. So faced with either annihilation or mutilation, the Israelites consented to humiliation and mutilation to be done to them within seven days if no one from among their people would help them.
When Saul heard about this, he was so filled with a righteous anger that he slaughtered a pair of oxen and sent the different pieces to the different tribes with the message that essentially, what happened to the oxen would happen to those who did not go out to join Saul and Samuel in battle against the Amorites. I cannot think of more effective way to say "Man up and let's roll out."
Of course, the Lord is with them and they get a victory. Even showing mores o Saul's good leadership, the Israelites are so impressed with the victory, they want to go and find those who initially doubted Saul and kill them. But he then says "There shall not a man be put to death this day: for to day the LORD hath wrought salvation in Israel." Simply classy, and cognizant of the fact that it was God who got them the victory, not Saul.
Maybe it is the fact that I really did not read the Old Testament that intently as a child. I kinda got stuck with image of a jealous angry bi-polar tyrant who liked throwing spears at David. Not that that is not true, but it is much more a tragedy to realize who Saul was in comparison to who he became.
Reading this, and other exploits of the early Saul, I am amazed at the change and kinda scared by the fact that it could happen to me, or anyone else. Consequently though, the other reading for today concluded the stoning of Stephen in Acts. And it makes mention of the other Saul we are acquainted with, the one who would later become Paul. In Acts 8:1-13 it states:
"As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison"
Both Sauls acted in righteous indignation, but the spirit of God was only with one on them. It is easy for us to be deluded, but what a difference the truth makes. Later in that book of Acts, it gives the account of St. Philip (name saint of our church) going down to Samaria to heal people and cast out demons. His power eventually draws the attention of Simon the Sorceror, who although was amazing the people of that town for some time, his sorceries could not compete with the power of the real God, healing people and restoring lives. It says that Simon, seeing this, becomes a believer.

We have so many instances in these readings of what it means to have prestige and power among people, whether as a priest, king, or sorcerer, but once the presence of God comes, these things have to be humbled before it. How much moreso the things that we aspire to be, or are already in our pride or imagination? In the Gospel for today, it is Luke's account of the crucifixion of Christ. In chapter 22, the high priests question him about whether He is the Son of God, not to praise him, but to damn him. Jesus responds truthfully that even if he says so, they would not believe it.

Let us not let the people we are now, keep us from recognizing who God is for all time. Boast in the Lord. That's all, peace out my brothers and sisters!