Telling The Hard Truth | 1 Samuel 3:15-18

Are you willing to swallow the hard truth?

Welcome to the Daily Devo. I am Vince Miller.

This week, we are reading 1 Samuel 3. I've titled this chapter "Into Our Silence God Speaks." Today, I am reading verses 15-18, it states:

Samuel lay until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. But Eli called Samuel and said, “Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here I am.” And Eli said, “What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.” So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. And he said, “It is the Lord. Let him do what seems good to him.” — 1 Samuel 3:15-18

In the popular movie series The Matrix, the lead character, Neo, is given an option at the beginning of the film. He could take a red pill, enabling him to understand the truth outside the illusion of the Matrix. Or he could take a blue pill, allowing him to return to the illusion. Neo, of course, chooses the red pill, which opens his eyes to a discomforting truth. The life he had been living was nothing but an illusion. He was living a lie.

This illustration fits here because Samuel and Eli have to swallow some troubling truths.

But notice a few details about the two men. First, Samuel lay there all night, likely unable to sleep due to the troubling message about his mentor and feeling afraid to inform Eli about what God had said. Second, Eli calls Samuel as if he were a son, fully aware that God spoke to him but demanding to hear the truth about God's words.

In a way, they both have a red pill to swallow. Samuel has to speak a hard truth. Eli has to accept a hard truth.

I said this yesterday, but when God speaks, his truth is always a hard pill to swallow. God's truth declares that we are sinful, and then we have to accept the truth that we are sinful and need his salvation.

Some people don't want to believe this truth. They prefer the blue pill. They buy into the illusion that they are good enough and that this life is all about pleasure and personal gratification. But ignoring the hard truth does us no good if we are going to be confronted by it at some point. If we are going to face judgment by God at the end of life, isn't it pointless to ignore the truth?

Make today the day you make a change. Swallow the red pill, accept your sinfulness, and receive salvation and redemption before all you get is God's judgment.

If this is you today and you are ready to make a change, pray this prayer along with me:

God, I realize my life is ridden with sin. I accept this truth and need your salvation. I receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and his life, death, and resurrection as my means of redemption. I am ready to accept your truth and live by it all my days. In Jesus' name, Amen.

If you prayed this today, reply and let me know. I would love to support you in some next steps.

#EmbraceTheRedPill, #CourageousFaith, #FacingHardTruths

Ask This:

Reflecting on Samuel's hesitation to share God's message with Eli, consider a time when you've struggled to speak the truth in love. What steps can you take to cultivate courage and honesty in your relationships, even when it's difficult?

In what areas of your life are you tempted to take the "blue pill" of denial rather than confronting uncomfortable truths? How can you actively choose the path of courageous faith, embracing God's truth, and pursuing transformation in those areas?

Do This:

Accept the truth from God, even when you don't like it.

Pray This:

Lord, grant me the courage to embrace the red pill of truth, confronting the uncomfortable realities in my life with faith and humility. May Your grace empower me to walk boldly in Your truth, trusting in Your redemption and transformation. Amen.

Play This:

Jesus, I Need You.