Nepsis

Shemu’el said to Sha’ul,
‘Slow down, and I shall tell you what Yahweh spoke to me last night.’

He said to him, ‘Speak.’

Shemu’el said, ‘Though you were small in your eyes, you’re the head of Yisra’el’s clans. Yahweh anointed you as king over Yisra’el and Yahweh sent you on a journey. He said to you, “Go and devote the wrongdoers, Amaleq. Do battle against them until you’ve finished them off.” Why didn’t you listen to Yahweh’s voice but pounce on the spoil and do what was bad in Yahweh’s eyes?’ Listening is better than sacrificing

Sha’ul said to Shemu’el, ‘I listened to Yahweh’s voice! I went on the journey that Yahweh sent me on. I brought Agag king of Amaleq, but Amaleq I devoted. The company took flock and herd from the spoil, the first of what was to be devoted, to sacrifice for Yahweh your God at Gilgal.’

Shemu’el said,

Are burnt offerings and sacrifices
as pleasing to Yahweh as listening to Yahweh’s voice?
Here, listening is better than sacrificing,
heeding than the fat of rams.
Because rebellion [is as bad as] the wrongdoing that comes from divination,
arrogance [is as bad as] the trouble that comes from effigies.
Since you rejected Yahweh’s word,
he has rejected you from being king.

Goldingay, John;The Bible for Everyone . SPCK. Kindle Edition.

Teach us, good Lord,
to serve thee as thou deservest;
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek for rest;
to labour and not to ask for any reward,
save that of knowing that we do thy will,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

St Ignatius