“Jehovah is considerate of others” (10 min.)
Jehovah is considerate of others, respecting and caring for his faithful servants. He is always there for us because of his immense love for his earthly children. We have to show this same attention and respect to our neighbor, to the Christian congregation, to the young and the elderly. We must imitate Jehovah and learn from Samuel to be considerate of others.
A considerate person is one who respects and shows care for others, acts considerately. That is, it shows respect, kindness and attention in dealing with another person or thing. A healthy, respectful and kind interest. Why is Samuel, at his age, an example of being a considerate boy?
LET'S READ: 1 Samuel 3:4-7.
Then Jehovah called Samuel, and Samuel answered: “Here I am.” 5 And he ran to where Eli was and said, "Lord, you called me, here I am." But he replied: “No, I didn't call you. Go back to bed." So Samuel went and lay down. 6 Jehovah called out to him again: “Samuel!” So Samuel got up, went to Eli and said, "Lord, you called me, here I am." But he replied: “No, my son, I did not call you. Go back to bed." 7 (Samuel did not yet know Jehovah and had not yet received any message from Jehovah)
In what we have just read we notice Samuel's predisposition with his age and the time it was. He repeatedly got up because he thought that Eli, his Lord, was calling him. Even running to see what Elí wanted and on all occasions addressing him with the utmost respect. Always with the best of attitudes, I was predisposed.
Samuel, the second or third time he did not tell his Lord: "Yes, you called me." No, Samuel whenever he heard in his dream that they were calling him, he ran and went, and addressed his Lord with the greatest respect, and he did what he told him again, to go to sleep. These verses denote how to be a considerate person, who acts with respect and care towards things and others.
A person, who was only a child, because Samuel began to serve Jehovah in the tabernacle. In fact, they were so small that verse 7 makes it clear that Samuel did not yet know the Lord and so he thought it was Eli, his Lord, who was calling him. He had never received a message from Jehovah, and although he was confused by it, he continued to act considerately.
He is not only an example for adults and youth to follow, but also for the children of the congregation. Samuel shows us that there is no age to be considerate, (a study of the Bible places Samuel's age at 12 at that time), we have to be considerate people from the moment we are born. Even though we don't know many things, or know people. Samuel did not know Jehovah nor had He ever spoken to Samuel, but this did not prevent him from being considerate.
Samuel was a very obedient boy, in all calls he listened immediately and always with respect. Although Eli's response was always the same. Until Samuel realized that it was Jehovah who was calling him, and not the high priest Eli. Samuel did not fall into this respect, that it was Jehovah until the third time the same thing happened and Eli realized what was happening. Jehovah could have told young Samuel that it was him, but he did not, and although we do not know why, he leaves us a great example for all to imitate, that of Samuel, as a considerate, respectful, attentive and kind child.
LET'S READ: 1 Samuel 3:8,9.
“And Jehovah called him a third time: “Samuel!” So Samuel got up, went to Eli and said, "You called me, here I am." That's when Eli realized that it was Jehovah who was calling the boy. So Eli said to Samuel: "Go, lie down, and if he calls you again you have to say 'Tell me, Jehovah, your servant is listening'". Samuel left and went back to bed.
It had to happen a third time when Eli realized what was happening to the young Samuel and then gave him precise instructions on what he had to do if Jehovah contacted him again. This time, Samuel might not be so confused, but he began to understand what was happening, he did as Eli commanded him, he went back to bed and he already knew how to be attentive if God contacted him again.
LET'S READ: 1 Samuel 3:15-18.
“Samuel stayed in bed until morning. He then he opened the doors of the house of Jehovah. He was afraid to tell Eli about the vision he had had. But Eli called Samuel and said, "Samuel, my son!" "I'm here," he replied. And Eli asked him, “What did he say to you? Don't hide it from me, please. May God severely punish you if you hide a single word from me of all that he told you.” So Samuel told him everything; he hid nothing from her. Eli said to him: “It is Jehovah. Let him do what seems good to him."
Samuel was afraid of the vision he saw and especially of telling Eli about it because of the message of censure he brought. Eli called him, this time yes, the high priest called him to tell him everything that Jehovah had told him. And in fact, Eli demanded that he tell him every last word and so Samuel did, no matter how old he was and how afraid he was of the vision and the consequences of it.
Jehovah's Law decreed that children should respect older people, especially if it is a principal or head of the town, as Leviticus 19:31 says: "Before gray hair you must get up, and you have to honor older people and fear your God. I am Jehovah.”
Of course, if we put ourselves in Samuel's situation it had to be very difficult, the same biblical account says that he was afraid. It is not about any vision, it is about a vision that Jehovah gave to a 12-year-old boy and that contains a harsh message of condemnation from God. Many seniors of great experience might wonder why God trusted this message to a young man and not to the experience of a high priest.
Why a 12-year-old to trust him with such a message of condemnation? Jehovah made it clear to Eli that it had to be him, that he had addressed Samuel, that he was calling him. Eli took charge of the situation and told Samuel not to hide anything from him, the young man obeyed and told him all the words that Jehovah had said to him. The responsibility that fell on this young man is enormous. It was his first time, he didn't even know Jehovah and he entrusted him with an important vision. How did Samuel act? He was considerate, respectful and kind. Towards the eldest of him, Eli, the high priest and his Lord, and before God, before Jehovah doing as he asked.
Jehovah was also considerate of Eli. Although he entrusted this vision to Samuel, he was considered the high priest, respecting him and being attentive to him. He did not put it aside, but told him and made it clear to Eli that everything that Samuel had told her came from Him, that it was He, God, who had called Samuel. Verse 18 that we have just read, gives us the resolution to this whole situation: “Eli said to Samuel: It is Jehovah, do what seems good to him.
Throughout this discourse on treasures of the Bible we have seen how the protagonists of this biblical story have acted in a considerate way. At the beginning we have seen that consideration implies respect and attention. Samuel was respectful and attentive, Eli was respectful and attentive to Samuel and to God. And Jehovah was also kind to Eli. Let us remember what we said at the beginning of this speech: “A considerate person is one who respects and shows care for others, he acts with consideration. That is, he shows respect, kindness and care in dealing with another person or thing. A healthy, respectful and kind interest.”
Now we have the example of Jehovah, Samuel and Eli. How can we show that we are considerate people? Because it is not enough just to say it, but we have to prove it. This is the only thing that matters, and this is what God sees from us, how do we treat others? Are we respectful and attentive?
God wants us to treat our neighbor with love, to imitate his qualities. So we have to reflect and ask ourselves: How can I be considerate of the young and the elderly? And for this we can remember the drawing that we see in our activity guide. As Samuel was considerate with Eli obeying Jehovah. And we also have to reflect on how can I be considerate in Christian gatherings?
Comments
Post a Comment