1 Samuel 2:22-26: a reflection

22Now Eli was very old; and he heard all that his sons did to all Israel, and how that they slept with the women who served at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 23He said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. 24No, my sons; for it is not a good report that I hear! You make the LORD’s people disobey. 25If one man sins against another, God will judge him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?” Notwithstanding, they didn’t listen to the voice of their father, because the LORD intended to kill them. 26The child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with the LORD and also with men.

Against the dark background of Eli's sons, who hardened themselves and would not heed their father's rebuke, stands the quiet contrast of young Samuel, who grew in favor with both God and people. The child Samuel grew, the account says, and increased in favor both with the LORD and also with men. Eli's sons persisted in their sin, and when their father rebuked them, they would not listen; they hardened themselves against correction. But over against them, the account sets young Samuel, growing steadily in favor with God and with the people around him. Where the sons hardened and declined, Samuel grew, thriving in favor with both God and man. This shows the good path of growing in favor with God and people, over against hardening against correction. Grow in favor with God and people, as Samuel did. Do not harden yourself against correction, as Eli's sons did. There is a path of growth and a path of hardening; choose growth. Growing in favor with both God and man is a good and hopeful path.

Notice the contrast the account draws. On one side are Eli's sons, who persisted in serious sin, and when rebuked by their father would not listen, but hardened themselves against correction, heading toward ruin. On the other side is young Samuel, of whom it is simply and hopefully said: the child Samuel grew, and increased in favor both with the LORD and also with men. Where the sons hardened and declined, Samuel grew, thriving in favor with God and with the people around him. This sets before us two paths. There is the path of Eli's sons: persisting in wrong, refusing correction, hardening the heart against rebuke, a path that leads downward to ruin. And there is the path of Samuel: growing, increasing in favor with God and with people, thriving in a life that pleases God and is good among others. The difference turns, in part, on whether we harden ourselves against correction or remain teachable and growing. To grow in favor with both God and man, as Samuel did, is a good and hopeful path: a life growing in what pleases God and in genuine goodness toward others. We do well to seek this path of growth, remaining teachable rather than hardening against correction, that we may grow in favor with God and people. Grow in favor with God and people, as Samuel did, remaining teachable. Do not harden yourself against correction, as Eli's sons did. There is a path of growth and a path of hardening; choose to grow. Seek a life growing in what pleases God and in goodness toward others.

That is worth taking to heart, for there is a path of growing in favor with God and people, over against a path of hardening against correction, and we do well to choose growth, as Samuel grew while Eli's sons hardened. We can harden ourselves against correction and decline, as Eli's sons did; but young Samuel grew, increasing in favor with both God and man. Choose to grow. Do not harden yourself against correction; remain teachable, seeking to grow in favor with God and people, as Samuel did. Seek the path of growing in favor with both God and people, remaining teachable rather than hardening yourself against correction, as against the dark background of Eli's sons who hardened themselves and would not heed their father's rebuke stands the quiet contrast of young Samuel who grew in favor with both God and people, the child Samuel increasing in favor with the LORD and with men; for Eli's sons persisted in their sin and would not listen when rebuked but hardened themselves against correction, while over against them the account sets young Samuel growing steadily in favor with God and the people around him, so that where the sons hardened and declined Samuel grew, thriving in favor with both God and man, which sets before us two paths, the path of Eli's sons who persisted in wrong and refused correction and hardened their hearts, leading downward to ruin, and the path of Samuel who grew and increased in favor with God and people, thriving in a life that pleased God and was good among others, the difference turning in part on whether we harden ourselves against correction or remain teachable and growing, so that to grow in favor with both God and man as Samuel did is a good and hopeful path, and we do well to seek it, remaining teachable rather than hardening against correction.

Lord, against the dark background of Eli's sons, who hardened themselves and would not heed their father's rebuke, stands the quiet contrast of young Samuel, who grew in favor with both you and people. The child Samuel grew, the account says, and increased in favor both with the LORD and also with men. Eli's sons persisted in their sin, and when their father rebuked them, they would not listen; they hardened themselves against correction. But over against them, the account sets young Samuel, growing steadily in favor with you and with the people around him. Where the sons hardened and declined, Samuel grew, thriving in favor with both you and man. Show me the contrast the account draws. On one side are Eli's sons, who persisted in serious sin, and when rebuked would not listen, but hardened themselves against correction, heading toward ruin. On the other side is young Samuel, of whom it is simply and hopefully said: the child Samuel grew, and increased in favor both with the LORD and with men. Where the sons hardened and declined, Samuel grew. This sets before me two paths. There is the path of Eli's sons: persisting in wrong, refusing correction, hardening the heart against rebuke, a path that leads downward to ruin. And there is the path of Samuel: growing, increasing in favor with you and with people. The difference turns, in part, on whether I harden myself against correction or remain teachable and growing. To grow in favor with both you and people, as Samuel did, is a good and hopeful path. Take that to my heart. Keep me from hardening myself against correction, as Eli's sons did; help me remain teachable, Lord, seeking to grow in favor with you and with people, as Samuel did, in a life that pleases you and is good toward others, choosing the path of growth rather than of hardening.