1 Samuel 3, Ecclesiastes 4, 1 Peter 2

Samuel's Lessons. Samuel learned three things:

1. What the voice of the Lord sounded like.
2. What to do when he heard it: Listen.
3. What to do with the message: Tell it, follow through. It wasn't intended only for Samuel.

God's Blessing. Because Samuel remembered these three lessons, God used him for a great purpose and everyone knew that he was a prophet of the Lord. "So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground." (v.19)

What is Vanity? If a quest for wealth or fame is all that motivates a person, it is "vanity and grasping for the wind." (v.16) The one thing Solomon says has any value is friendship with one or two companions.

What's Our Purpose? Peter concurs. The only prize worth living for is eternal life. The way to bring others along is to live out the word of God in front of them and share the gospel.

The Real Path to Greatness. Obedience to the voice of God, following through for the good of others instead of ourselves, is the path to greatness. All else is vanity.

1 Samuel 2, Ecclesiastes 3, 1 Peter 1

Reading 1 Samuel 2 is like looking into a camera lens while it zooms out to a panorama. This is the big picture God had in mind when He withheld a child from Hannah. He needed her to come to the point of willingness to give her first-born son to the Lord. The priesthood was in tatters. Eli's natural sons could not carry it on. The whole nation's future was at stake. God needed the man He would create as Samuel. Compare verse 26 with Luke 2:52. This chapter points straight to Jesus. The sins of Eli's sons were as grievous as those of the Pharisees in Jesus' day. Samuel became a priest. Jesus became both our High Priest and perfect sacrifice.

Solomon is right when he says there is a time for everything. He also makes the point that humans can't see the big picture of what God is doing. So we need to trust Him and enjoy what He gives us. It can seem that evil prevails now, just as it seemed in Eli's time and Solomon's. But God doesn't allow evil to go on without end. He brings all to justice.

Peter's words echo Solomon's and highlight the arrow pointing from the Old Testament to Jesus Christ. We, who live with the benefit of reading the Bible as a whole, should heed Peter's instructions readily. Treasure our inheritance in heaven and live our lives in a manner worthy of the Spirit who dwells in us.