Strange texts and Lent, vol. 2

In Old Testament accounts the first words of a character are meant to give us a glimpse into the deeper aspects of the person's life. If their first words are wise, then we will likely come to see them as wise; if they are words of praise, we should understand that they are people of praise, and so on. In 1 Samuel 1, we are introduced both to Eli and to Hannah. Eli is a priest, Hannah is a barren woman. One trip to Shiloh, where the temple was located, Hannah and Elkanah, her husband, are eating and drinking. Afterwards, Hannah begins praying and asking God for a child. Eli, just having seen her drink wine, thinks she is drunk and says, "How long will you keep on getting drunk? Get rid of your wine" (1:14). Hannah responds that she is not drunk, but deeply troubled. She promises to give her child to God if God grants her request for a child.

There is a sharp contrast between Hannah and Eli: Eli assumes the worst of Hannah with his first words, whereas Hannah's first words are prayers to God. Eli's children meet demise in battle (4:17) and Eli himself dies, as well. [Interestingly, the same way we are introduced to Eli--sitting down (1:9), is the same way we are introduced to his death (4:13, 18)]. Hannah's child, however, is one of Israel's greatest leaders of all time--Samuel.

One of the purposes of Lent, in preparing to have proper mind to appreciate the sacrifice of Christ, is to help us see where we might be "Eli's": We are sometimes people who jump to conclusions and who have wrong interpretations of others--even those we'd least suspect to have the proper attitude like Hannah.