Now the young man Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man. 1 Samuel 2:26
Eli's sons were worthless. They were not serving the people of God as they should because they did not know the Lord. They would take food from those who were cooking. If they did not want to go and get the food themselves they would simply send their servants to steal the food even before the fat of the meat was cut off. These young men treated the offering of the Lord with contempt (1 Samuel 2:17).
But there was this little one who did not do what these two did. His name was Samuel. His mother, Hannah, had prayed and asked the Lord for a child. She was barren and the other wife of her husband had born children and harrassed Hannah for not having any. However, the Scriptures record that her husband loved Hannah more than Peninnah (1 Samuel 1:6). This was no small thing! If a woman was unable to bear children in their day it was to her shame -- she must have done something to cause the Lord to close her womb; she must have sinned against the Lord.
But this was not the case with Hannah. She prayed for a child. She went to the temple and prayed and the priest, Eli, saw her praying. He thought that she must have been drunk because she was praying silently yet her lips were moving. She was lamenting; she was mourning for the lack of children. Once Hannah told Eli for what she was praying, he blessed her and sent her on her way.
The Lord answers prayer! He gave a male child by the name of Samuel to Hannah. Hannah in turn gave the male child back to the Lord that he might be used in ministry by Him. She delivered Samuel to Eli when he was young to minister to the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest (1 Samuel 2:11).
Eli, on the other hand, had two boys that were out of control. They would sin against the Lord and against people. They would take forks and take meat from others who were to prepare it properly for the priests but they would eat meat with fat and from every indication, even raw! This was not the case with Samuel: He was ministering before the Lord, as he was clothed in a linen ephod (1 Samuel 2:18).
Eli was now an old man. He knew that his sons were treacherous before the Lord and before the people. But an interesting note is given about Samuel. It is found in 1 Samuel 2:26,
Now the young man Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man.
What a great verse! It is a foreshadowing of One who would come after him. Samuel was grew to be a man who's character had grown to be that of a Godly character. He grew in favor with the Lord and with man. He was a blessed man and a man to whom people could turn in the economy of his day. Samuel knew that his calling was to be a servant of the Lord God -- he knew what he was to do in service to the Lord.
So, why would I even write about all of this? Simply put, we too are to grow in stature and favor with God and with men. It is an unsavory thing to see how some Christians act with others. If we are rude then we have not the favor of God. However, if we show kindness toward others then we have favor with God. Why? Because He has shown us kindness. If we are in sin in the midst of a lost and dying world, then we have no stature or favor. Why? Because if we are living in sin then certainly God is not going to show favor toward sin -- He is holy! As far as others go, we will not gain any favor while living in sin because we claim our faith to be in Jesus Christ.
Basically, what I am getting at is that it is time for us not to be hypocritical and try to disguise ourselves with spiritual terms, but let us be honest enough to admit when we have sinned, when we have fallen out of stature and favor with the Lord and with men. When we confess it and repent of it then the stature and favor returns. I'm so grateful for the Lord who loves me enough to teach me that I still have a lot of growing to do.
