And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. Samuel 15:22

This scripture comes after King Saul kept stolen property after a military victory. The Lord had instructed Israel to defeat the army, but not take the spoils of war. Their purpose was to demonstrate righteousness, not greed. Israel was supposed to be an example for the other nations, but if they acted the same, what difference would it make? The king disobeyed and took the best flocks of animals as a prize for himself. When the prophet Samuel confronted him, he said it was for sacrifices to God. Indeed Saul had made them, but Samuel knew his heart was not obedient to God.

We face a similar situation in our own lives. There are things God has called us to do or not do. It’s hard things, like apologizing to a friend you hurt, or being honest in business dealings even when it means less money. Instead of obeying though, we sacrifice something that God never asked for. We give money to a charity or fast from food. We are saying to ourselves or others, “Look how good I am.” We are only lying to ourselves because God isn’t tricked. He doesn’t need our random suffering to please him. He wants us to follow him and obey so we can become better people, live in community with others and be more like Christ.