November 16, 2008
Crushed in soul, Hannah prayed to God and cried and cried—inconsolably. Then she made a vow: Oh, God-of-the-Angel-Armies, If you'll take a good, hard look at my pain, If you'll quit neglecting me and go into action for me by giving me a son, I'll give him completely, unreservedly to you. I'll set him apart for a life of holy discipline… Before the year was out, Hannah had conceived and given birth to a son. She named him Samuel, explaining, "I asked God for him." Then God called out, "Samuel, Samuel!" Samuel answered, "Yes? I'm here." Then he ran to Eli saying, "I heard you call. Here I am." Eli said, "I didn't call you. Go back to bed." And so he did. God called again, "Samuel, Samuel!" Samuel got up and went to Eli, "I heard you call. Here I am." Again Eli said, "Son, I didn't call you. Go back to bed." (This all happened before Samuel knew God for himself. It was before the revelation of God had been given to him personally.) God called again, "Samuel!"—the third time! Yet again Samuel got up and went to Eli, "Yes? I heard you call me. Here I am." That's when it dawned on Eli that God was calling the boy. So Eli directed Samuel, "Go back and lie down. If the voice calls again, say, 'Speak, God. I'm your servant, ready to listen.'" Samuel returned to his bed. Then God came and stood before him exactly as before, calling out, "Samuel! Samuel!" Samuel answered, "Speak. I'm your servant, ready to listen." God said to Samuel, "Listen carefully. I'm getting ready to do something in Israel that is going to shake everyone up and get their attention. – 1 Samuel 1 10-11 and 20, 3: 8-11
Someone asked me if I “was stranded on a desert island and could only have books, which ones would I take?” As the owner of over 200 books (I was the girl that never sold hers back in undergrad), I only need a few to survive and I Samuel is on that list. From Hannah’s sincere petition to God for a child to Samuel’s illustration of godly counsel to David and Johnathan’s portrayal of healthy friendships, I believe this book provides necessary lessons on how to navigate effectively through life. And today, another one was revealed.
I have a number of wonderful young men in my life. They encourage me. They check me when I’m wrong. They make me happy to have them in my life. They are attorneys, account executives, teachers, scholars, blue collar workers, loving husbands, dedicated fathers and amazing men. They are my cousins and they are my very best friends. They see where I’m trying to go and do whatever they can to help me get there. I, in turn, try to do the same. But I recognize the road for them is not an easy one. Despite our next president being an African-American man, the brothers in our lives still function in a world that would purpose to squelch their dreams and aspirations. I recognize that it is just as important for me to feed their spirit and nurture their potential as it is for them to inspire me to higher heights.
And maybe even more so. I’ve heard it said that women maintain the standard for society but it is the men who set it. If this is true, in order for a standard to be set in which all of us can benefit, our men must believe they have the power to ordain it to be so. Could this be why Hannah felt it imperative that young Samuel be raised in the temple? Did she realize the potential for greatness her son had and, consequently, wanted him in an environment that would endorse it? Then it hit me and I wondered: how many men really are encouraged to cultivate the gift inside of them? Do we just say they should go to church for going to church’s sake or because it’s integral to their growth and development? Do we insist they go to school just because everyone else did or because it will help propel them to their next level? Do we listen to them or believe they should always be the listeners? Do we respect their fears or resolve that real men don’t have any? Do we believe in them and do they know it? Samuel had a mother that prayed for him and a father that understood his son was not his to raise. When Samuel received his call from God, it wasn’t his father that helped him understand it; it was Eli- the man who raised him. We never know what man, young or old, we are supposed to be Eli for. But when the opportunity comes, we have to seize it. Samuel was able to anoint Israel’s kings and help lay the path from which Christ would come. What will the men in your life do as a result of your encouragement and belief?
The more I think about it, I need the men in my life to be in line. They help me stay in line. I need Jamon to take from studying to pray with and over me. I need my cousin Daniel to send me an “I’m proud of you” text message. I need Kiel and Jamaal to say “I love you but no real man is going to buy you a $30,000 engagement ring so you need to prepare for another purpose” when I become entranced by that particular Tiffany & Company creation. I need them to achieve every dream they have for their lives because it gives me hope. It gives me hope that future generations of men will settle for nothing less than operating at their highest levels of potential. And I will do everything I can to ensure that; will you?
To every man with which I’m blessed to share heritage, friendship, conversation, emails and this great place we call Earth: if no one told you today, let me be the first to say: You are wonderful. You are full of promise. You are a King. You are needed.
©BirthRight, 2008
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