Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting. And he said to them, “Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. No, my sons; it is no good report that I hear the people of the LORD spreading abroad. If someone sins against a man, God will mediate for him, but if someone sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the LORD to put them to death. Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the LORD and also with man.
1 Samuel 2:22-26
Father, I thank You for placing in my life people who love me enough to rebuke me when I am wrong and challenge me. I thank You that they have the courage to call out what they are seeing and hold me accountable for when I am wrong, especially as it pertains to You. I confess that I sometimes think I have all the answers. Worse, I typically believe I know what I need to do to not only accomplish my goals in life, but also to please You. Yet I am learning every day how wrong I am and how much I actually don’t actually know. I am learning daily how my blindspots and self-justified passions can get in the way of making the right decisions in the moment and can even skew my view of You and Your will for my life. Lord, give those around me the courage to call sin “sin” in my life, showing me where I fall short. Give me not only the wisdom and discernment to listen to them, but also the humility to embrace their critiques and internalize them in order that I might not only correct my ways, but walk in a manner that pleases You. It is my desire to grow both in stature and in favor with You and with others. Help me to put “me” to side and embrace Your vision of me, seeking out and anxiously receiving the perspectives of those around me so that I can be better today than I was yesterday. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.