1 Samuel 2:11-15: a reflection

11Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. The child served the LORD before Eli the priest. 12Now the sons of Eli were wicked men. They didn’t know the LORD. 13The custom of the priests with the people was that when anyone offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant came while the meat was boiling, with a fork of three teeth in his hand; 14and he stabbed it into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot. The priest took all that the fork brought up for himself. They did this to all the Israelites who came there to Shiloh. 15Yes, before they burned the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man who sacrificed, “Give meat to roast for the priest; for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but raw.”

While the boy Samuel serves faithfully before the LORD, the sons of Eli, who held the sacred office of priest, are described in stark terms: the sons of Eli were wicked men; they didn't know the LORD. They used their priestly position not to serve God and the people, but to enrich themselves, seizing the best portions of the offerings for themselves by force and threat. They took a sacred trust, the priesthood, and abused it for their own gain, exploiting the very office meant for the service of God and his people. The sacred position became, in their hands, a means of self-serving corruption.

Notice how Eli's sons abused their sacred office for selfish gain. The priesthood was a trust, a position meant for the service of God and the care of his people; but Eli's sons used it for themselves, to seize what they wanted, exploiting their position for their own enrichment. They turned a sacred trust into a means of self-serving corruption, using what was meant for God's service to serve themselves. The office that should have been used to honor God and serve the people was abused for personal gain. To take a sacred trust and use it for oneself is a grave corruption; Eli's sons show how a position meant for service can be perverted into a tool of selfishness.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can be tempted to use a sacred trust or position for selfish gain rather than for service. Whatever position or trust we are given, in the church, in our work, in our families, over others, it is meant for service, for the good of others and the honor of God; but we can be tempted, like Eli's sons, to use it for ourselves, to exploit it for our own gain. A trust used for self rather than service is corrupted. Do not use a sacred trust or position for your own selfish gain, exploiting what is meant for service; use it to serve God and others, as it was intended. Use whatever trust or position you are given for service and the good of others, not for selfish gain, unlike Eli's sons who abused the priesthood for themselves; for a position is a trust meant for service, and to exploit it for self is a corruption of what was given to honor God and help others.

Lord, while the boy Samuel serves faithfully before you, the sons of Eli, who held the sacred office of priest, are described in stark terms: the sons of Eli were wicked men; they didn't know the LORD. They used their priestly position not to serve you and the people, but to enrich themselves, seizing the best portions of the offerings for themselves by force and threat. They took a sacred trust, the priesthood, and abused it for their own gain. Show me how Eli's sons abused their sacred office for selfish gain. The priesthood was a trust, a position meant for the service of you and the care of your people; but Eli's sons used it for themselves, exploiting their position for their own enrichment. They turned a sacred trust into a means of self-serving corruption. The office that should have honored you and served the people was abused for personal gain. To take a sacred trust and use it for oneself is a grave corruption. Take that to my heart, for I too can be tempted to use a sacred trust or position for selfish gain rather than for service. Whatever position or trust I am given, in the church, in my work, in my families, over others, it is meant for service, for the good of others and your honor; but I can be tempted, like Eli's sons, to exploit it for my own gain. Keep me from using a sacred trust or position for my own selfish gain; help me use it to serve you and others, Lord, as it was intended, unlike Eli's sons who abused the priesthood for themselves.