And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.
As a child serving in worship at the tabernacle, Samuel kept growing up and gaining favor with both God and people. Surrounded by the corrupting example of Eli's godless sons, he did not seek their company or follow their evil ways but loved God, kept close to heaven, and remained morally untainted. His growth was shaped by his mother's faithful training from infancy to love and reverence God and to distinguish good from evil, in contrast to Eli's failure to restrain his wicked sons to the ruin of his house. It is the privilege of every youth even now to give themselves to God as Samuel did, to carry religion into humble everyday duties faithfully performed as unto the Lord, and so to become precious in His sight and fitted for great usefulness.
Faithful Growth Amid Corruption
The verse reports that as a child serving at the tabernacle devoted to worship, Samuel kept growing on and in favor both with the Lord and with men. His growth took place surrounded by corrupting influences and sinful example, for the sons of Eli feared not God nor honored their father. He did not seek their company nor follow their evil ways, took no pleasure in the sins around him, loved God and kept close to heaven, and made it his constant endeavor to become what God would have him to be, showing he remained morally untainted. His growth in favor reveals that the Lord watches children with intense interest as they form their characters.
His character was kind, generous, obedient, respectful, helpful, affectionate, humble, reverent, prompt in duty, and earnest in God's service. The loveliness of that character drew Eli's warm affection. The aged priest, pained by the waywardness of his own sons and burdened by age, anxiety, and remorse, found rest, comfort, and blessing in Samuel and loved him as tenderly as a father.
Though Levites did not customarily enter their peculiar services until twenty-five years of age, Samuel was an exception, receiving as a child a linen ephod as a token of consecration to the work of the sanctuary and receiving more important trusts every year. Even then he had duties according to his capacity, at first very humble and not always pleasant, but he performed them to the best of his ability with a willing heart. He carried his religion into every duty of life and regarded himself as God's servant and his work as God's work from love to God and sincere desire to do His will, so his efforts were accepted, he became a co-worker with the Lord of heaven and earth, and God fitted him to accomplish a great work for Israel.
Samuel was accepted by God from childhood, and his pure heart and reverence made him useful as a channel of light.
Parental Training and Warning
The growth described in the verse was shaped by faithful training begun in infancy. His mother taught him from his earliest years to love and reverence God and to regard himself as belonging to the Lord, and she prayed continually that he would be good and pure and noble and true. She also taught him to distinguish good from evil, and that early formation helped him resist the evil influences surrounding him in Eli's household, so that he grew up humble and reverent, prompt in duty and earnest in God's service.
That faithfulness stands in direct contrast to Eli's failure to train and discipline and restrain his own sons. His sons acted wickedly and their wickedness dishonored God, while Samuel grew as the youth to whom the Lord spoke and entrusted a message of judgment against Eli's house. Against that faithful youth stands a house whose transgressions would not be pardoned.
The mournful history is a warning to parents, and especially to those in holy office, not to believe themselves wiser than their Creator in training children. Human wisdom and self-confidence, fond indulgence, and allowing children to grow up from babyhood without restraint confirm forward and selfish and disagreeable ways into habits that render them unloving and unlovable. God's word is the only safe guide in the management of children, because the Creator who bought them with His own blood best understands all their needs.
Parents must therefore promptly and firmly correct their children rather than tolerate wrongdoing as unavoidable. Eli's sin of following human wisdom instead of God's commands brought God's curse upon him, bringing disaster and death to himself, ruin to his wicked sons, and ruin to thousands in Israel. Faithful study and obedience of God's word would prevent the soul-anguish that comes over the perverse conduct of wicked children.
Pattern for Youth Today
It is the privilege of every youth that even little children can give themselves to God's service, choose Him, and please Him. Samuel became precious in the sight of God by faithful, conscientious attention to little things. Children taught to regard the humble round of every-day duties as the course marked out for them by the Lord, as a school to train them for faithful and efficient service, find their work pleasant and honorable.
To perform every duty as unto the Lord throws a charm around the humblest employment and links workers on earth with the holy beings who do God's will in heaven. Success in this life and in gaining the future life depends on such faithful attention to little things. Perfection is seen in the least no less than in the greatest of God's works, and as God is perfect in His sphere so people are to be perfect in theirs. A strong, beautiful, symmetrical character is built up by individual acts of duty, with faithfulness in the least as well as the greatest details.
Integrity in little things, little acts of fidelity and little deeds of kindness, gladden the path of life and exert an influence for good that never perishes. Through such faithful Christian integrity the youth of today may become as precious in the sight of God as was Samuel. A life consecrated to God from youth is valuable to Him, and young people who consecrate themselves as Samuel did may be accepted and used in God's work. God has a work for every one of them, and greater results for God and humanity may be achieved now by those faithful to their God-given trust, who by faithfully maintaining Christian integrity may exert a strong influence in the work of reform.
As a child serving in worship at the tabernacle, Samuel kept growing up and gaining favor with both God and people. Surrounded by the corrupting example of Eli's godless sons, he did not seek their company or follow their evil ways but loved God, kept close to heaven, and remained morally untainted. His growth was shaped by his mother's faithful training from infancy to love and reverence God and to distinguish good from evil, in contrast to Eli's failure to restrain his wicked sons to the ruin of his house. It is the privilege of every youth even now to give themselves to God as Samuel did, to carry religion into humble everyday duties faithfully performed as unto the Lord, and so to become precious in His sight and fitted for great usefulness.
Faithful Growth Amid Corruption
The verse reports that as a child serving at the tabernacle devoted to worship, Samuel kept growing on and in favor both with the Lord and with men. His growth took place surrounded by corrupting influences and sinful example, for the sons of Eli feared not God nor honored their father. He did not seek their company nor follow their evil ways, took no pleasure in the sins around him, loved God and kept close to heaven, and made it his constant endeavor to become what God would have him to be, showing he remained morally untainted. His growth in favor reveals that the Lord watches children with intense interest as they form their characters.
His character was kind, generous, obedient, respectful, helpful, affectionate, humble, reverent, prompt in duty, and earnest in God's service. The loveliness of that character drew Eli's warm affection. The aged priest, pained by the waywardness of his own sons and burdened by age, anxiety, and remorse, found rest, comfort, and blessing in Samuel and loved him as tenderly as a father.
Though Levites did not customarily enter their peculiar services until twenty-five years of age, Samuel was an exception, receiving as a child a linen ephod as a token of consecration to the work of the sanctuary and receiving more important trusts every year. Even then he had duties according to his capacity, at first very humble and not always pleasant, but he performed them to the best of his ability with a willing heart. He carried his religion into every duty of life and regarded himself as God's servant and his work as God's work from love to God and sincere desire to do His will, so his efforts were accepted, he became a co-worker with the Lord of heaven and earth, and God fitted him to accomplish a great work for Israel.
Samuel was accepted by God from childhood, and his pure heart and reverence made him useful as a channel of light.
Parental Training and Warning
The growth described in the verse was shaped by faithful training begun in infancy. His mother taught him from his earliest years to love and reverence God and to regard himself as belonging to the Lord, and she prayed continually that he would be good and pure and noble and true. She also taught him to distinguish good from evil, and that early formation helped him resist the evil influences surrounding him in Eli's household, so that he grew up humble and reverent, prompt in duty and earnest in God's service.
That faithfulness stands in direct contrast to Eli's failure to train and discipline and restrain his own sons. His sons acted wickedly and their wickedness dishonored God, while Samuel grew as the youth to whom the Lord spoke and entrusted a message of judgment against Eli's house. Against that faithful youth stands a house whose transgressions would not be pardoned.
The mournful history is a warning to parents, and especially to those in holy office, not to believe themselves wiser than their Creator in training children. Human wisdom and self-confidence, fond indulgence, and allowing children to grow up from babyhood without restraint confirm forward and selfish and disagreeable ways into habits that render them unloving and unlovable. God's word is the only safe guide in the management of children, because the Creator who bought them with His own blood best understands all their needs.
Parents must therefore promptly and firmly correct their children rather than tolerate wrongdoing as unavoidable. Eli's sin of following human wisdom instead of God's commands brought God's curse upon him, bringing disaster and death to himself, ruin to his wicked sons, and ruin to thousands in Israel. Faithful study and obedience of God's word would prevent the soul-anguish that comes over the perverse conduct of wicked children.
Pattern for Youth Today
It is the privilege of every youth that even little children can give themselves to God's service, choose Him, and please Him. Samuel became precious in the sight of God by faithful, conscientious attention to little things. Children taught to regard the humble round of every-day duties as the course marked out for them by the Lord, as a school to train them for faithful and efficient service, find their work pleasant and honorable.
To perform every duty as unto the Lord throws a charm around the humblest employment and links workers on earth with the holy beings who do God's will in heaven. Success in this life and in gaining the future life depends on such faithful attention to little things. Perfection is seen in the least no less than in the greatest of God's works, and as God is perfect in His sphere so people are to be perfect in theirs. A strong, beautiful, symmetrical character is built up by individual acts of duty, with faithfulness in the least as well as the greatest details.
Integrity in little things, little acts of fidelity and little deeds of kindness, gladden the path of life and exert an influence for good that never perishes. Through such faithful Christian integrity the youth of today may become as precious in the sight of God as was Samuel. A life consecrated to God from youth is valuable to Him, and young people who consecrate themselves as Samuel did may be accepted and used in God's work. God has a work for every one of them, and greater results for God and humanity may be achieved now by those faithful to their God-given trust, who by faithfully maintaining Christian integrity may exert a strong influence in the work of reform.