Eli's sons were scoundrels;
they had no
regard for the LORD.
1 Samuel 2:12
Eli held one of
the most respected positions in the Jewish community— a priest in God’s temple.
It was his job to hear from the Lord and make God’s will known to the people.
But he was also the father of two sons. Church kids. While Eli was busy at the
temple, the boys ran wild. Eli made the mistake many parents make, especially
those in ministry. He elevated church work over family responsibilities, and
assumed the kids would catch morality like the flu. God judged him for not
restraining them.
God warned Eli
years earlier that his sons were no good and he needed to do something about
that. But like many fathers, Eli was passive. Discipline required energy and
unpleasant confrontation, so he ignored their ungodly behaviors. We see this
attitude after a thug has been arrested for assaulting someone. “He’s a good
boy,” the tearful mother says. “He just got in with the wrong crowd.” That may
be true. But it’s more likely that he WAS the wrong crowd. It’s difficult for
us to see the people we love realistically, but God doesn’t wear rose-colored
glasses when he sees our family. He expects parents to be intentional about
teaching, disciplining, and restraining their children. Eli remained passive,
and everyone suffered. Don’t be an Eli.
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