1 Samuel 12:3 – “Here I am; bear witness against me before the Lord and His anointed. Whose ox have I taken, or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed, or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? I will restore it to you.”

Samuel is about to pronounce a seething judgment against Israel for their incessant demand for a king to rule over them. So that his statements are not dismissed by accusations of hypocrisy, Samuel asks for any witness against him to come forward beforehand. No one raised an accusation against him. Samuel was blameless. If he had done any of these things (which is highly unlikely), the issue had been settled. This was a remarkable outcome considering he had lived among them since he was a young boy. What a treasure it is to have this kind of reputation, especially for those who make a claim to godliness! Though Samuel had great influence, authority and fame, he neither manipulated nor defrauded nor took advantage for his own gain.

The greater the prominence, greater is the temptation to take advantage of others. But, Samuel was wise enough to know at least this, good will is always better than a good deal. The Apostle Paul knew the same. Follow their example.