"Children"
Daniel Valles

READ I Samuel 1:11,24-28; 2:12,17

In these two chapters, we see an excellent juxtaposition of two children.  Samuel, the son of Hannah, is compared with the sons of Eli.  One is godly, the other are wicked.  Both knew each other, and the Eli and Hannah both knew each other.  What is striking, is that the sons of Eli, though in the position of priests serving God, were wicked; while Samuel, the son of a common person, was "in favor both with the LORD, and also with men."  While we do not know where things went wrong for the sons of Eli, we have a close idea by looking at the example that he set for them.  In 2:22-25, he merely chides them for the wickedness that they were involved with.

Hannah, on the other hand, dedicates her son to God even before he is conceived!  She set a good example for him, and prayed for him.  When she presented him to the service in the temple, she did it at a sacrifice (vs. 24).  She paid a price not only in handing over her firstborn, but also dedicated him with the sacrifice of three bullocks, one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine.  It costs to raise children for the Lord.  They will not be able to do the things they want, or the things other children do.  They are being raised for the LORD, because we are stewards, and we are given the privilege to raise them.  It is not necessarily a right.  In 1:27-28, Hannah acknowledges that she was given Samuel not because she deserved it, but because God was gracious and merciful.  In return, she "lent him to the LORD".  Our children are on loan from God.  The best way to raise them is to loan them to His purpose.