What Kind of Sacrificial Living? Proverbs 21:3

To do righteousness and justice Is desired by the LORD more than sacrifice. Proverbs 21:3

This proverb reminds me of the story of Saul and the Amalekites.  Saul was commanded by the Lord to destroy and utterly wipe out the Amalekites.  They are a picture of our flesh - and we are reminded that our flesh can in no way be compatible with the working of God's Spirit within us.  Therefore we need to learn to do what God desires.  We need two things.  We need to embrace righteousness - which is simply viewing what God says as right as right - and justice - which means that we believe that God's judgments on things are true and just.  Saul decided rather than doing what God said (what is right) and executing God's judgment on the Amalekites (what is just) - he would have his own self-styled obedience.  He got rid of everything despised and bad in his own eyes among the Amalekites - but kept all the good stuff (at least what his flesh thought was good) alive.  When caught in this sin by Samuel, Saul said that he kept it so that he could sacrifice it to the Lord.  Samuel's statement to Saul was that God desires obedience rather than sacrifice. 

What the Lord desires is our obedience to His righteousness - and His righteous commands - rather than any kind of self-styled 10 commandments we would write out for ourselves.  The Lord is the wise One and He knows what is right.  Our own hearts and wicked and desperately sick - so how can we honestly even know what is right without His revelation to us?  The Lord also desires justice.  He knows what is just - and calls us to call 'em like He sees 'em.  This is what he wants - rather than our pretended sacrifice. 

Most sacrifices that are done with no real thought for righteousness and justice in God's sight are done for show rather than for true sacrifice.  The nature of our flesh is just like Saul's actions.  We will gladly label what WE think is wrong and bad and dispose of it.  We'll pick the really bad looking stuff - and be rid of it - while the deeper most insidious corruptions of the flesh remain untouched.  This is why we need the Spirit of God to work in the process of sanctification.  Without His work in our soul we will avoid the real deeper issues of purity and godliness.  But when He works to reveal what is right and just in us - He will guide us in a true sacrifice of self to the Lord.  This will be the kind of choices and the kind of lifestyle that will truly please the Lord - and - the one that most reflects the righteousness and justice the Lord desires in us.