“And Samuel told him, ‘Although you may think little of yourself, are you not the leader of the tribes of Israel? The Lord has anointed you king of Israel.’”
1 Samuel 15:17 (NLT)
This verse has stood out to me in the past. Not really understanding it in the middle of the story that was happening. And I have spoken on this story before, and it didn’t really make sense then either.
What does it mean that Saul thought little of himself?
He was the king. He had authority, position, and people following him. This was not someone hiding on the sidelines. So that description does not fit the way we usually think about insecurity.
But Samuel spoke confidently. He was not just making a random statement. He was not reading Saul’s mind. He was watching Saul lead.
Saul had just disobeyed God’s clear command. And when confronted, he did not own it. He justified his actions. He explained them. He blamed the people.
The people wanted it.
The people kept the best.
The people pressured me.
That is how Samuel knew.
Thinking little of himself did not show up as humility. It showed up as an inability to stand firm when obedience would cost him approval.
Samuel had walked with Saul long enough to recognize the pattern. He saw how Saul adjusted God’s commands to avoid conflict. How he shifted responsibility instead of repenting. How fear of people kept shaping his decisions.
So Samuel brings it back to identity.
You are the leader.
God anointed you.
In other words, you knew better.
Saul wore the crown, but he did not fully carry the weight of leadership. His insecurity did not make him cautious. It made him flexible in the wrong places.
That stopped me.
Because it suggests that insecurity and people pleasing often work together. Thinking little of ourselves does not always protect us from disobedience. Sometimes it becomes the excuse for it.
Samuel could see what Saul may not have wanted to admit. That his self perception was shaping his obedience. That his fear was louder than his faith.
This verse makes me wonder how often our actions reveal what we believe about ourselves before we would ever say it out loud.
And how often people who walk closely with God can see right through us, usually before we do.
I am still sitting with this one.
Because it makes me ask where do I shift responsibility when obedience feels costly. Where fear of people quietly overrides fear of God.