This passage shows as a vivid contrast between young Samuel and Eli’s sons. On the one hand Eli’s sons proved to be selfish. On the other hand Samuel was a helpful and committed young man. My brother, my sister, our actions reflect who we truly are. Some people know how to act and perform a character that is not who they are. Sooner or later, they do things that would reveal their true character. When pretence is over, the mask falls… Then we face ourselves. Eli’s sons used to defraud people while Samuel grew in wisdom and was later used by God.
Yes a person’s actions reflect his genuine character. This was true of Samuel and of Eli’s sons… And it’s true of us today, especially in our service to God. The Lord does not trust us based on our deeds, but on the basis of our obedience to His Word and our commitment. As a high priest, Eli would certainly have wished to see his sons take over him instead of ending his life seeing them being judged by God.
Most believers want to be front-runners, but that is part of their character that wants to get there first.Yet being in front of the race can make you lose strength and will boost the squad. And the tragedy of the brilliant beginner who wants it all could play against you to the point that you may not even finish the race, or you may quit the race and burnt out, exhausted, or injured. Samuel demonstrated a clear understanding of the purposes and the call of God and this helped him to be devoted to God. My frien, what do your actions say about your character? We should always strive to keep our hearts pure before God like Samuel. When our actions are tainted with selfish ambitions, inevitably, they cannot reflect a divine character. Stay blessed in Jesus’ name.