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Be Like Hannah

Mr. David McClain, Head of School at FCS, shares insights relating to Christian education, biblical worldview, building Christian character, and current events. Read his Weekly Words archives here.

November 17, 2024

Last weekend, I was able to attend the Penn State Whiteout Game against Washington working as security in one of the student sections behind the end zone.  Similar to Duke, they have a Nittanyville where students camp out before big games to earn a special wristband that allows them to spend the game standing at the railing right next to the field.  I was in charge of ensuring that only students with the special wristband were on that railing.

As you can imagine, it was a full time task, and I didn’t make many friends, but I enjoyed the experience.

During my 7+ hours of patrolling the railing, I was able to observe the students up close.  As you can imagine, it was very disheartening to see so many young people drinking, vaping (I confiscated several), and acting in every sense of the Biblical terms perverse and foolish.

In the midst of all the insanity, there was one young man that caught my attention.  Standing on the front row of benches, he was holding a small New Testament and reading verses to whoever would listen.  

I couldn’t tell if others were just being polite or in agreement, but they actually seemed to be listening and responding.  All throughout the pre-game and the actual game, I heard him using phrases like “God’s grace,” “Christ’s sufficiency,” and “life-changing Gospel truth” as he talked to his fellow students.

As I continued checking for wristbands and removing trespassers, I thought about I Samuel and the account of Hannah and her servant boy, Samuel, and the contrast with Eli and his wicked sons, Hophni and Phineas.  

While Samuel was learning to listen to and follow God’s calling, Hophni and Phineas were hard at work perverting the work of the Lord and abusing those they were meant to shepherd.

Hannah, heartbroken at her barrenness, begged God for a child and promised to ensure that that child would become a servant of the Lord’s.

As God proclaimed judgement on Eli, He asked Eli why he had honored his sons above God.  In those words, we find one of the strongest warnings for parents.  

We live in a society where many, many parents honor their children more than they honor the Lord. They refuse to accept that their children are born in a sinful state in desperate need of the correction of God’s word and instead do everything they can to make them feel good about themselves and heap false praise upon them and encourage them to follow their heart, trust their feelings, and seek out their happiness above all else.

We should be warned by the tragedy of Eli and challenged by the devotion of Hannah.  Can you imagine how difficult it was to walk those steps to the temple knowing that she would be giving up her sweet boy that she had longed for and prayed for for so long?  

If you’re a mom, you know.  It was probably the single most gut-wrenching moment of her life, but she chose to honor the Lord and by proxy to teach her son that honoring the Lord is everything.  

It’s not hard to imagine as Samuel was exposed to the corruption of Eli and his sons, that the example and influence of his mother’s decision helped him become a devoted servant of the Lord rather than following after the corruption.

It is a misnomer when we say “our children.”   They are God’s – given to us to steward into obedience to the Lord’s will not our own.

Too many times, parents have sat in my office or classroom and without saying it directly, have stated that they are determined to honor their children over the Lord.  I’ve seen it again and again, and it never ends well.

Let us determine to be Hannahs.  Let’s take our children’s hands from ours and place them in the Lord’s hand, teaching them to listen to His will and obey His voice.  

Above all, teach them that only the Lord is worthy of honor and glory.