Saul has passed his probationary test and now Samuel can hand leadership across to him. Not that Samuel is retiring, but his role is changing. As he leaves office, he makes a fine and powerful speech. His words show how he truly has understood the people he’s led and sees what they need to hear. But before he challenges them, he establishes his right to speak by getting them to testify to his own righteousness and so confirm that he is right to have a clear conscience. Then he is free to point to the disloyalty of these people but the patience goodness of the Lord. A true leader will always direct us ultimately to the Lord and not to himself.
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Handing over