Does parenting make a saint? Samuel’s parents dedicated Samuel to God’s service (1 Samuel 1). Hannah and Elkanah, Samuel’s folks, realized that their baby boy truly was a gift from God. Honoring a promise she made, once Samuel was weaned, she took him to the Eli to be raised in presence of God by Eli, the judge of Israel. Was it their dedication that shaped Samuel into the saint that he was? Surely it must have contributed.
Does ethical living make a saint? Samuel kept his nose clean amidst temptation (1 Samuel 2). Samuel found himself being raised as a PK – preacher’s kid. If you’re new to the whole church thing, allow me clue you in to a little (not-so) secret: PK’s have a reputation for serious rebellion, partying, and other mischief. I should know – I am one, am married to one, and know a bunch of them! Of course, I was perfect in every way… Eli’s sons completely fit the bill – they were doing some pretty awful stuff. Taking God’s share of the offerings. Even seducing young women who came to get reconciled to God. But Samuel had none of it – he made choices that were aligned with God’s teaching on how to get the most out of life. Was it his ethic, then, that made Samuel such a saint? Certainly, it must have helped.
Does conversation with God make a saint? Samuel listened for and responded to the call of God personally (1 Samuel 3). This is a really cool passage of scripture – read it if you haven’t already. Samuel enters into a personal relationship with God that extends beyond rule-following. This is what God wants for everybody – that we would be in constant two-way communication with the Great I Am. Was it Samuel’s capacity to communicate with God that made him such a saintly man? No doubt, it must have played a role.
Does speaking God’s word make a saint? Samuel communicated God’s message in spite of fear (1 Samuel 3). After Samuel received a message from God, Eli asked him about it. Samuel had a difficult decision to make at that point. The word he received was that Eli’s corrupted sons would die and early death due to their behavior. He was being asked to communicate this message to a dad, who also was providing for his needs as well. Tough. Fear surely must have gripped him. But in spite of his fear, Samuel communicated the truth God shared with him. Was it the fact that Samuel shared God’s word regardless of the “uncomfort level” that made Samuel such the saint he became?
Does doing God’s will make a saint? Samuel anointed Saul and David as the first kings of Israel (1 Samuel 10 & 16). As the reigning, last judge, and first prophet of Israel, it is safe to say that Samuel was a pretty big deal. He carried tremendous respect among the people. His word was taken as God’s on private legal and spiritual issues as well as matters of state. In anointing Saul and David, he was telling them that they were chosen and endorsed by God. What a message of significance! Did Samuel’s sainthood come with his title, and the fact that he carried out his role with excellence?
Does living beyond death make a saint? Samuel lived beyond the grave. Many moons later, a terrified king summoned Samuel’s spirit for advice, and he got it. The fact that Samuel came back from the grave would have certainly communicated to people that God considered him a saint as well. Is our afterlife the thing that makes us saints – the fact that God welcomes us home?
We who are in Christ are saints. Not by virtue of anything we’ve done, but because of the grace of God we know with confidence because of the work of Christ. That’s our ultimate reality. But the question for today is this: are we doing saintly things? How are we being wise parents, setting our kids up for success by our decisions to raise them in such a way as to foster their relationship with God rather than simply being benign about it? How are we making choices that honor God, our life, and the lives of others even though so many so casually live their lives without regard to any of these? How are we allowing for a two-way, ongoing conversation with God? Or are we simply settling for ethical living? How are we communicating the truth God has given us to the people who need to hear it? Are we allowing fear to get the best of us? I once heard fear described as an acronym for “false expectations appearing real.” Maybe you are totally wrong about how God’s truth will be received. Maybe your worst fear will come true – does it matter? How are you letting others know they are favored by God? Who are the Davids in your life – the runts, the overlooked – who will see their lives change when they hear that God thinks they are incredible and full of potential? How are you speaking hope into the lives of those who have little hope?
Samuel was a saint who made choices through his life that changed the world. In honoring God, he lived with peace and purpose, and he helped others know how to, too. How about you? Whose life will you change because you’ve chosen to be a saint?
Think…
- Who are some people that you’ve heard of or know that you would classify or call a “saint”? What are your criteria?
- What does a saint do that sets him or her apart from the rest of the crowd?
- Is being a saint difficult? Why or why not? If it is difficult, what’s the motive for the saint to “be saintly” in spite of the challenge? What’s in it for them?
- What is a saint’s impact beyond their personal life – how does a saint impact the world around them?
- Why would God want more people to pursue their saint potential?
- What’s got to change in your life to pursue your saint potential? What new things need to be introduced? What non-saintly things need to be phased out in order to make room for the new?
- How do you think life would look and feel if you were more on the saintly side than not? How do you imagine your level of peace and purpose changing the more saintly you become?
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