Hearing

1   Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD under Eli. The word of the LORD was rare in those days; visions were not widespread 2 At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room, 3 the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. 4 Then the LORD called, “Samuel, Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!”

      -1 Samuel 3:1-4 (NRSV)

Samuel’s ministry materialized during a time when “The word of the LORD was rare” and “visions were not widespread” (3:1). God sought out Samuel during a desperate time for Israel, and when the people needed more than leadership, they needed to hear the LORD. 

While Israel may have desperately needed Samuel, Samuel’s rise as a judge and prophet meant the fall of his mentor, Eli. God bound together the two men through Samuel’s call. Eli couldn’t hear God’s call to Samuel, and Samuel didn’t understand God's calling. Although God was calling Samuel, God’s call to Samuel required Eli’s willingness to help Samuel even though Samuel’s call might, as Eli understood it, mean Eli’s dismissal. The family life implications of God’s call to Samuel are numerous. 

Samuel shows us that hearing God is a collaborative event, particularly suited to flourish in and through family life. The Scripture shows us that we are a significant part of our children’s spiritual development as parents and elders. Expecting our children to serve, love, or even recognize a straightforward call from God requires us to do our part. As parents, biological or otherwise, God has tasked us with leading children so that we prepare them to hear God when He calls. Preparing to hear God through our practice of family means we must set good listening examples, starting with listening to the human needs expressed in our homes and communities. We need to hear if people are hurt, confused, or disheartened. Just like veggies grow in a diligently cultivated garden, cultivating open ears is equally as laborious! 

As parents, we must train ourselves to listen to our children and partners. We should take time daily to speak to every person in our homes. We need to understand the outside lives of the people we love and understand what matters and what doesn’t matter to them. We should also tell them about us! Our partners should be our closest confidants, and our children should be the prime repositories of our knowledge and wisdom. By learning to listen and talk to our partners and children, we practice listening, which might come in handy when God calls us to serve His kingdom!  

Dear God, we pray that you teach us to listen to each other so we can hear You! Family life is demanding, and although sometimes we fall short and fail, we know You have brought this family together to serve Your kingdom. God, open our ears and our hearts in service to You. Amen!

Questions for reflection: How often does your family discuss more than rules and obligations? Does your family regularly discuss your separate lives? Do you know your kids’ favorite colors or the names of their two closest friends? How could your family grow closer by getting to know each other better?