When one told me, Behold, Saul is dead, thinking he was bringing good news, I seized and slew him in Ziklag who expected me to give him a reward for his news. How much more—when wicked men have slain a just man in his own house on his bed—shall I not now require his blood of your hand and remove you from the earth! – 2 Samuel 4:10-11, Amplified Bible (AMP)

Have you ever done something for someone else, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that what you were doing would please that person, only to find out later that what you did actually displeased that person? Odds are we’ve experienced this multiple times. Whether we’ve given gifts that weren’t well received, performed services that weren’t appreciated, or delivered “good news” that turned out to be not so good, the end result was disappointment when the people we tried to please cared little, or not at all, for what we offered them.

In some instances, offering the wrong things to people can result in much more than disappointment; it can result in wrath. As the slayers of Saul and of Saul’s son, Ish-bosheth, found out, they weren’t pleasing King David when they brought news of their murders of David’s enemies. They were infuriating him. To their surprise, they did not gain favor with David, but rather lost their lives at his hand, because what they thought were virtuous actions turned out to be unpardonable sins.

We all too often commit similar, unwise choices. We offer gifts and we perform works that we think God will most definitely honor, but either on this Earth or on the day of judgment we will find out that what we thought was so pleasing to God actually infuriated Him. We have to get out of the habit of using human reasoning to decide what is good for us to do. Instead, we must develop the habit of studying the Bible, seeking the counsel of God’s saints, and praying for direction from the Holy Spirit before making decisions. Only then can we have confidence that what we are offering The Lord will be pleasing to Him, for only then will He remove all doubt about what He wants us to give.

Before you leap into action, consider God’s wisdom regarding the matter. Doing so could be the difference between receiving reward or receiving wrath.

Shop hundreds of Christian-themed products at our new store! A portion of each purchase goes to support the work of Today’s Quote From God. To visit the Today’s Quote From God Store, please click here.