Learning From a Teenager (2)

Who is your role model?

His mother brought him to the temple when he was little. He came to stay. As much as she wanted to keep and raise him, Hannah could not afford to fail to fulfill the promise she had made when she asked God to give her a child.
Thus Hannah dedicated her son Samuel to the Lord and left him at the temple under the care of Priest Eli, as she’d promised God. But was the temple the safest and the best place for Samuel to be raised in? Supposedly it was. However, there were temptations – some options if you will – concerning the role models for Samuel at this new setting. Priest Eli had two sons. Both of them were in the ministry. Although they were priests their behavior was reckless and reprehensible. Behold the dilemma unfolding. Which of these individuals – Priest Eli or his sons – will Samuel pick as his role model? Well, before we go any further, let us consider some simple facts. First, Eli was an old man. Second, Eli’s boys were much, much younger than Eli was, obviously. Third, Priest Eli was a kind of a conservative boring guy. Fourth, the boys were fun to be with and more aligned with the popular and modern culture than their father Eli. Honestly, if it were you in Samuel’s shoes, who would you pick? You probably would pick the boys. But the fact of the matter is that too many youth fail to choose the right role model for their lives today. Do you concur? Are you one of them?
So, based on these facts, which of these two models is Samuel going to look up to and emulate – the “old conservative boring priest” or the “liberal untamed young boys” whose questionable moral behavior was staining their character, jeopardizing their ministry, and discrediting their father’s authority? You’re right. Perfect guessing! Samuel was wise enough to pick the old Priest Eli as his role model rather than follow the footsteps of the two wild and immoral “religious” boys living around him.
Samuel might’ve struggled with the temptation to fit in Eli’s boys’ life style by giving in and choosing them as his role model because they may have had much more in common than he had with the old Priest Eli. As strong as this temptation seemed to be, Samuel ended up winning the battle by choosing to model his life after Eli, the old man of God, against all the odds. Praise God! Believe me, it paid off. God rewarded Samuel by calling him to be His prophet, His people’s judge, and an excellent role model for both his and the future generations.
Who is your role model? What criteria did you use to choose your role model? Is your role model a man or a woman of God whose life is grounded in the Word of God and guided by the Holy Spirit? Watch out! The role model you choose to follow today will ultimately shape your character and determine who and where you are going to be tomorrow. Therefore, be wise and choose the right role model, as so wisely did Samuel.

by B.Monteiro (Once A Teenager)
9/26/07