Saul's disobedience

“But Saul and the army spared Agag and the best of the sheep and cattle, the fat calves and lambs – everything that was good. These they were unwilling to destroy completely, but everything that was despised and weak they totally destroyed.” 1 Samuel 15:9
In 1 Samuel 15 God gave Saul a task, through Samuel, to completely destroy all the Amalekites for attacking Israel behind when they came out of Egypt (1 Sam. 15:2, see Ex. 17:8-16). Saul went into battle against them, and defeated them, but did not obey the Lord in completely destroying everything and everyone, as God had commanded (1 Sam. 15:3). He and his men kept their king, Agag, alive, and spared the best of the livestock. Later, Saul claimed that this was so he could present them as a sacrifice to God (1 Sam. 15:15). But Samuel – and God – would have none of it.
There are two key words to note here. Firstly, they spared ‘everything that was good’. We should add, everything that was good in their own eyes. Sparing these animals was not good in God’s sight. He values obedience more than burnt offerings (1 Sam. 15:22). Similarly for us: we demonstrate our love for God not by what we give to Him, but by obeying Him (1 John 5:3).
Secondly, we read ‘they were unwilling to destroy [them] completely’. Their refusal to obey was a conscious, wilful act. It’s easy to put ourselves in their position: here were these fit, healthy animals – why destroy them, when they could be useful, or be given in sacrifice? In a similar way, we often try to justify our disobedience – making excuses, when the reality is we are unwilling to give something up.
This attitude cost Saul the kingship. Let this be a lesson for us to obey God in everything He tells us to do.