Samuel said to all Israel, "I have listened to everything you said to me and have set a king over you." – 1 Samuel 12:1

Today's Scripture Reading (May 22, 2025): 1 Samuel 12

"Be careful what you wish for." The phrase is often used as a caution to understanding the implications of what you want. A great case in point might be the Canadian Federal Election in 2025. There is little doubt that President Donald Trump was the most important politician involved in the Canadian Election. It became apparent early in the election period that President Trump had been successful in uniting the country, something that only the game of hockey had been able to do for decades in Canada. Despite the many political problems the nation was fighting, the unifying problem was President Trump and his threats to make Canada the 51st state. In the fight, whether right or wrong, Canadians felt that they were quickly becoming Ukraine and that the United States had become their Russia. Canadians woke up to the realization that the relationship between the two national neighbors had changed.

Both major Canadian parties, the Liberal and the Conservative Parties, believed they were the answer to what had become known as "The Trump Problem." To a certain extent, they both went after a third party, the New Democrats (a left-leaning party), hoping that the seats would go their way. The New Democratic Party was decimated primarily because of the threat of President Trump over the nation, but it was the Liberal Party that picked up the seats. The Conservative Party got what it wanted, but it didn't make the difference they had hoped for because not enough seats went their way.

Samuel has crowned Saul as King of Israel. Samuel is not retiring from his position as Judge over the nation. 1 Samuel reminds us that "Samuel continued as Israel's leader all the days of his life" (1 Samuel 7:15). But now he would have to be careful not to overshadow the King. Samuel would take on the role of a national advisor to the King, and as long as Saul heeded the advice of Samuel, which came from God, everything would be okay. It would only be when the King disobeyed what God had told Samuel that there would be problems. 

However, I hear a bit of "be careful what you wish for" in Samuel's response to the people after Saul is made King. He reminds them that they wanted a king. And now they would have to put up with both the good and the bad that would come with the new Royal Family. There would be consequences of having a King that the people hadn't considered. They had focused on the good and overlooked the bad. But now that a King was in place, they would get both. 

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: 1 Samuel 13