On page 48 of the adult Explore the Bible Personal Study Guide, you will find the following questions that focus on the issue of what people trust for security: What does a believer lose by relying on a human authority more than Christ? How do we determine when we should rely on a human entity and when we should not? Here are some thoughts that might spur the discussion.
When Julius was born, he was wrapped in a blanket made by his great-grandmother. That blanket became a mainstay in his life. Whenever he fell and scraped his knee, he scrambled to find the blanket. If the blanket got left at the grandparents’ or babysitter’s, Julius’s parents would retrieve the blanket knowing they would be in for a sleepless night without it. “In blanket we trust” would have been a fitting slogan for Julius! It’s funny what we trust for security when we are kids.
Samuel was getting older, so he appointed his sons to take his place. They were not nearly the men Samuel was, so the leaders approached Samuel about an alternative. They requested that Samuel appoint a king over them so that they could be just like their neighbors (1 Sam. 8:5). The problem was the people had grown to trust Samuel and had failed to trust the God followed by Samuel.
Many people trust others, objects, and institutions more than they do God for their security. We begin to worship a person rather than the One who gifted and allowed that person to be a leader in the first place. We forget that God created the object we carry in our pocket to every important meeting. Even as adults, we still have our “blankets”—they just look a little different and may not be as noticeable. Our “blanket” may be comfortable, but God wants to provide more than comfort. He wants us to have a trusting relationship with Him, which may not always be comfortable but will always be fulfilling.