Grateful for Obedience

"To obey is better than sacrifice." -- Samuel

Saul did everything the Lord asked him to do, except destroy the best of his enemy's spoils. Those he allowed his people to keep, so they could "sacrifice [them] unto the LORD".

Mrs. L pinched my arm softly during Stake Conference a few weeks ago and whispered that she always had a hard time with that story. She works *hard* at everything she does, including obeying tasks assigned her. She often produces things better than asked for, makes them wonderful instead of just nice.

I think the story of Saul is not one of being in trouble for trying too hard to make things better, though.

Saul's act to let his people sacrifice some of the spoils was a fundamental change to the command he was given. It altered the nature of the action. He gave into his people's urge for convenience at the cost of following the Prophet's instructions.

Obedience is better than efficiency. It's better than convenience. Doing an extra good job at something isn't disobedient. But it is when we assert to be "doing more" when what we are really doing is something different.

I am grateful that I married a woman who is determined to obey the commandments. That it is so important to her to obey the prophet. I know to someone who doesn't believe what we do, that can look like blind obedience. But do not discount the process we undertook to be certain of the command in the first place; I trust the scriptures, trust the prophet. To me, the uncertain rumblings about blind obedience look like equivocation, intellectual justifications for partial obedience.

I know that I am happy when I obey God.

I am kind of sad that November is ending. I'm looking for a good pattern or theme to blog about next month. Can I find 31 things to love about Christmas?

How about 31 birthdays to love?