The Human Heart: 1 Samuel 1:12-18

When God calls us, He wants our heart to be involved.  While doing something good for the wrong reasons is still doing something good, it is not something deserving of reward or acclamation.  Passionless action is nothing more than compliance.  God doesn’t our compliance.  He wants us to walk beside Him and be in relationship with Him.  He wants our heart to join His.

While Hannah prays before the Lord, the priest Eli observes her.  Her lips move, though no sound came out of her mouth.  Hannah wrestles deep within and didn’t know she was being watched.  She wanted a quiet moment bearing her soul to her God, which is completely reasonable.

Eli judges her.  Seeing her lips move but hearing no sound, Eli assumes Hannah is drunk.  Being a priest, Eli is acquainted with people from all walks of life.  I doubt this is the first time he’s seen someone behave outside his norm.

Eli allows himself to be led by his experience rather than be led by his heart.  He sees an event and fills in the explanation himself.  Rather than asking Hannah if she is okay or needs help, he jumps to the conclusion she is drunk.  Instead of being sensitive, Eli presumes.  Instead of being open to the Lord, he basks in his own ability to think for himself.

This first story of Eli is a great study in character.  Eli was a priest of the Lord.  He should have been a spiritually sensitive man.  His habit should be intercession.  He should lead with compassionate questions to gather information rather than make assumptions.

Eli is not the priest he could be.  Instead of meeting Hanah where she is, Eli forces her into a box of his own understanding.  Instead of leading with a sensitive spirit, he leads with an assumption of understanding.

Fortunately, Eli takes correction well.  When Hannah explains her actions to him, Eli gives her a blessing and not an argument.  Unfortunately, we still don’t see Eli lead with the sensitivity of spirit we expect from a religious leader.  In giving Hannah a blessing, it has the feel of dismissal.  Yes, he tells her to go in peace.  But more importantly he tells her to go.  He does not invite her into relationship.

Eli doesn’t even inquire about her need!  She uses strong words like vexation, trouble, and anxiety, yet Eli doesn’t ask her for more details.  He doesn’t want to get involved.  He doesn’t even apologize to Hannah for making assumptions about her!

Eli presents himself as a priest who knows his place in life but doesn’t spiritually understand it.  He goes through the motions.  He receives people’s sacrifices.  He takes his share out of the offering.  But that’s as far as it goes.  He is a priest in action, but not a spiritual leader in his heart.  When God calls us, He wants more than actions.  When God calls us, He wants our heart to be involved.