Synopsis: Although God made each of us unique individuals, most times we resist our unique nature and strive to be like everyone else. In First Samuel, the people of Israel had a wonderful opportunity to be different (unique), but they begged God to allow them to be like everyone else.

Scripture: I Samuel 8: 4-9;19-22

4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.
5 They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have."
6 But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD.
7 And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.
8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you.
9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do."
19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us.
20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles."
21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD.
22 The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king." Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Everyone go back to his town."

I. An opportunity to be different

II. An old school excuse "Everyone else is doing it"

III. Settling for what they knew

IV. Lack of vision for the future