1 Samuel 13:11
“And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash;”
A person doesn’t always have to commit the crime to be guilty, but contributing to the crime in some manner makes them an accessory to the crime. Likewise, it is not always the person who commits the sin who is the only guilty one, but oftentimes there was someone who contributed to their sin. The person who contributes to one’s sin may not be a bad person, but some action or inaction caused them to be an accessory to the sin.
One of the overlooked parts of Saul’s sinful sacrifice was that he did this because Samuel did not come at the appointed time. Saul was ultimately responsible for his own actions, but because Samuel didn’t keep an appointment and his word, another man committed a sin. If Samuel had been there when he said he would, Saul would have never been tempted to do wrong. Samuel’s lapse of character caused him to be an accessory to the sin.
You must always be careful that you don’t become an accessory to another’s sin. You may not think that one action is that important, but it was important to Saul doing right. It would be a terrible thing to let one action contribute to another losing the blessings of God. When I look at this story, I see some things that can contribute to another’s sin.
First, not keeping your word can contribute to another’s sin. If you tell someone you are going to do something, then you had better do it. For instance, if you tell someone you are going to pray for them, then pray for them. Your word can mean a lot to someone and when you don’t keep it, it could cause someone to make a wrong decision.
Second, not keeping your appointments can contribute to another’s sin. Samuel probably never thought that not getting to where he was supposed to be on time would cause Saul to yield to peer pressure, but it did. If you tell someone you are going to be somewhere at a certain time, then you need to be sure to be where you said you would be. I know this may seem petty, but if it contributed to Saul’s sin, then it can contribute to another’s sin.
Third, a lapse in your personal character can contribute to another’s sin. Samuel on the whole was a good man, but one lapse of character caused another to fall. Friend, you must do everything in your power to do right all the time. One lapse of judgment can influence another to make a wrong decision. One time of acting out of your character can impact someone’s life. You would never want your lapse of character to influence anyone for wrong.
Finally, you must always remember that you are ultimately responsible for your own actions. Just because someone else didn’t do right doesn’t give you an excuse to do wrong. You are to do right all the time. Another’s wrong action is never a permission to sin. Do right all the time and you will never allow another to influence you for wrong, and you will not influence another for wrong either.