Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.
Audio version at http://tinyurl.com/yo72cs
It must be really difficult for some people to have a balanced life. At times we may admire those who are in the news—celebrities, athletes, leaders, etc. However, we are often disappointed in the news that even those who are successful in their profession are not always successful in their family life.
My wife and I were recently watching a biography of a well known actor. He was very successful in his profession. No doubt about that. But his life wasn’t balanced.
Through this presentation they kept referring to him as a great family man. However, his life included more than his first family. In fact, he had cheated on his first wife with his soon to be second wife. And then did the same thing to his second wife and ended up married a third time.
Successful? Maybe in the movies, but certainly not in fidelity in marriage. Family man? Well, I guess that just depends on which wife and children of his you ask.
In the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel we are introduced to a very successful man who committed his life to the Lord. His name is Eli. Now Eli was a good man. He was a high priest and served as a judge of Israel from the family of Ithamar.
But Eli had a glaring fault in his life. While he had devoted that life to God, he had forsaken his responsibility to teach and correct his children.
His two sons, Phinehas and Hophni, were partners in some very evil practices. While people would come to bring their offerings and sacrifices, these two young men would begin to demand more of the people than they were required to give. Their strong handed arm twisting soon angered the people. 1 Samuel 2:17 says, “Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD, for men abhorred the offering of the LORD.”
Religious abuse has almost always existed. Those who should have known better have a pretty long recorded history of abusing the responsibilities that God has set in place. The Pharisees of the time of Jesus were known for corruption of the Law of Moses. It is no wonder that the people of the time of Eli as well as the time of any corruption will decry the process of worship or sacrifice that has been defiled.
But, remember, Eli is a good man. He’s dedicated his life to being a servant of God. He’s a high priest. Very successful by anyone’s standards, right? Well, maybe he would be remembered better if we never knew about his failings with his sons.
Note this reading from 1 Samuel 2:22-25.
Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people. No, my sons! For it is not a good report that I hear. You make the LORD's people transgress. If one man sins against another, God will judge him. But if a man sins against the LORD, who will intercede for him?” Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father, because the LORD desired to kill them.
If Eli had taken the time to serve his family as he served the Lord, then maybe his sons would have heeded and respected his rebuke and corrected their ways. But Eli did not have the parental authority that he needed to have. He was a successful man of God, but he was not a successful father.
These two sons brought Eli much pain and grief. When he later heard that the two had died on the same day, Eli fell over and died also. What a tragic end to what could have been a much more hope filled family.
Friends, success isn’t just about that next promotion or the amount of money in your retirement account. True success is living each day in such a way to cause God to smile on your actions and know that you are still His!
On Our Daily Walk today, may we work to balance our life in all areas so as to be everything we should be to everyone we encounter. May we especially be mindful of our family responsibilities and make them a priority for our Lord.
Our thought for the day: “Parents should always remember that some day their children will follow their example instead of their advice.”
May God bless you on your daily walk.
© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.
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