The desire to be like the world is as old as time. But God tells us we are strangers and aliens in this world, and to be conformed to his image instead, serving and worshipping him alone.

Samuel is old and the people approach him with a succession plan, namely that he should give them a king like all the other nations. This displeases both Samuel and God, not because wanting a king was bad but because of their motive. Their desire to be like the nations instead of God’s holy people was another rejection of God. God had saved them again and again, had provided leadership for them through his appointed judges, even his very presence was with them — but they wanted another layer of middle-management. God chose to give them what they wanted in order to teach an important lesson: Only God’s rule will never let you down. The world preaches a different message, trying to indoctrinate us to conform to its standards. But the Bible teaches us to be transformed in how we think and to offer ourselves completely to God (Rom 12:1-2). When Jesus came in flesh, he too was rejected (Jn 19:15) because he didn’t fit the pattern of this world. He came not to be served, but to serve (Mt 20:28) and give himself away. The world and its kings are takers, God alone is a righteous king that gives more than he takes.