Ever-Present Past
8 The LORD called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the boy. 9 Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 10 Now the LORD came and stood there, calling as before, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." 11 Then the LORD said to Samuel, "See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle."
(1 Samuel 3:8-11)
Eli had been a prophet but, as a result of him allowing his sons to blaspheme God without consequence, God was no longer speaking through Eli. So it's not surprising that Eli did not initially realize that it was God's voice that a young Samuel was hearing the first two times Samuel came running to Eli. The third time Samuel came running, Eli instructed Samuel to respond to God's call with a readiness to hear what God would say. When Samuel did as Eli told him, God spoke a terrible judgement against Eli - a judgement God had already spoken directly to Eli. That Samuel didn't come running back to tell Eli what God had said probably was enough to indicate that it wasn't good news that Samuel had received. But Eli received God's words, as recounted by Samuel, with grace and Eli continued to mentor Samuel until his death. Samuel became a respected prophet because God was with him, and as a result of his training under Eli.
Even as Jesus was calling his disciples at the start of his ministry, he had to deal with opinions and prejudices about his "qualifications" to do and be all he claimed - or all that was claimed about him. Nathanael, for example, could not imagine anything or anyone good coming from Nazareth. But Jesus flipped Nathanael's assumptions by bringing up the false reputation of Israelites as deceivers (because Jacob was a deceiver before his personal encounter with God, which changed him and changed his name to Israel). Being called out, and recognizing his own bias, broke down a barrier so that Nathanael could see Jesus for who he really was.
Even after Samuel knew about Eli's past and God's judgement on Eli and his family, Eli's value as a mentor and guide was not nullified. And, Jesus was, clearly, no more inhibited by the perceived reputation of Nazareth than Nathanael was by the perceived reputation of Israelites. Past behavior or choices can keep us from seeing value in others or ourselves - or keep others from seeing value in us. Sometimes the past that threatens to define us or others is beyond anyone's control - the reputation of someone's neighborhood, family, or nationality. We have a responsibility to be intentional about choosing to see and value the person before us just as they are, beyond our biases and what we think we know - just as we'd like to be seen and valued. May God cleanse our hearts and minds of the prejudices and assumptions that keep us from truly seeing each other.
45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." 46 Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" 48 Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." 49 Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" (John 1:45-49)
