Five month-old Humphrey the hippo was caught up in a South African flood.

Army major Marius Els adopted him and loved him like a son. But the 1.2 ton hippopotamus literally grew out of hand. He broke out of his pen, chased down golfers, and eventually gave his owner a terrible bite. Breaking the laws of nature doesn’t usually turn out well.

Like Humphrey, King Saul had a confidence that grew dangerously out of hand.

When the prophet Samuel first announced Saul as king, he was found trembling behind baggage. Fearful and new to the throne he depended on God’s prophet to help him see and hear what he was supposed to do.

But over time, like a giant hippo, his confidence outgrew his faith. He became so bold as to ignore God’s decrees.

In this scripture, Saul has put aside God’s command to destroy the Amalekite nation. Instead, he’s taken their cattle as plunder and left their king alive.

“I have a better idea than God’s,” he apparently thought.

His bold disobedience led to disaster. Saul’s lack of trust brought centuries of plunder and harassment by the regrowing Amalekite nation. And Saul lost his throne.

Oversized confidence destroys both wild hippos and overgrown egos. God much prefers our obedience.