Samuel grew before the Lord

“And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bore three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD.” – I Samuel 2v21

What a contrast God draws between the wicked sons of Eli and the child Samuel. After describing the sinful men God says, “But the child Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child.” While grown men lived evil, wicked lives Samuel as a child was ministering before the Lord.

Then we read, “the child grew before the Lord.” This reminds us of Jesus where it says “he grew in wisdom, and stature, and is favour with God and man.” At least twice in the word of God we see the importance placed on a child growing up.

In Samuel’s case the key element of his growth as a child seem to be service. He grew up serving God. His entire childhood was serving while the adults did wrong. Often child can set examples for adults, as Paul pointed out when he wrote, “let no man despise thy youth, but be thou and example of the believers.”

Those of us who are parents need to be sure that we provide opportunities for service to our children as they grow.