Is your Pastor a Hypocrite? 1 Samuel 1-5

Every year I write I devotional on this section I committ to find some good story to write about depite all the negative stories. However, once again I start to read and I come across something that just needs to be pointed out: Eli the priest was a BIG hypocrite. In the frist chapter we begin to read the story about this dear women, Hannah. She only wants a baby. Her womb is closed and she cries out the God of Creation to allow her to give birth. This is a great story of commitment and spiritual battle. Yet, in the midst of her prayer, Eli, the priest is observing her in the "sanctuary" praying to God. Because her lips are moving but no sound is coming out, Eli automatically assumes she must be drunk. Think about that! She is the temple ... she is probably prostrate ... she probably has her head bowed ... and, Eli, the priest (a trained member of the clergy) simply "assumes" she must be drunk? Why is that so? Why would he? It is only later that we find out why Eli lacked spiritual senstivitiy to see her anguish and prayerful attitude. In his own boys he only saw drunkeness and wanton behavior (2:12ff). In his own life he practiced gluttony and lacked self-control (4:18). Eli was a hypocrite. Now, let's not toss the baby out with the bathwater. Eli still had a connection with God and for God. He still blessed Hannah, despite his lack of spiritaul integrity. God can use hypocrites. Look at Peter (Matthew 27). Look at Paul (Romans 7). Look at Judas (Matthew 26). God majors on minor players. Yet, we need to know that Eli was limited in his spiritual sensitivity to others because he was limited in his spiritual walk. He thought Hannah was drunk because he was used to seeing the lack of self control in his own life and that of his children. We all need to be careful that we don't make inconsistent conclusions becasue we struggle in our own lives. Eli needed to hear Christ words about the splinter in his own eye (Matthew 7). Don't look at others through your own glasses but rather through God's eyes. At least beaware of the way your own life clouds your view.