[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during August 2025]
About two months ago[1] we considered the impact that the news of Israel’s defeat by the Philistines in 1070BC had had on Eli, the high priest at that time. Israel’s most important religious artefact had been captured and two of Eli’s sons had perished in the battle. Their deaths were a punishment for the disreputable way in which they had discharged their responsibilities as priests.
The historical accounts of that period tell us:
Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord or for the duties of the priests to the people.
1 Samuel 2 v12 [NRSVA]
Eli had attempted to rebuke his sons
But they would not listen to the voice of their father
1 Samuel 2 v25 [NRSVA]
Eli is just one in a list of godly men who have faithfully served the Lord and yet who failed or were thwarted in the upbringing of their own children. It seems especially ironic that the same Eli should have been the mentor for Samuel, one of the greatest leaders in Israel’s history. But then we read about Samuel’s own sons:
When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. Yet his sons did not follow in his ways, but turned aside after gain; they took bribes and perverted justice.
1 Samuel 8 v1,3 [NRSVA]
The story of Eli’s sons raised some questions from one of our readers:
“If Eli were a religious leader today, would modern accountability culture have handled his failure to discipline his sons differently? Would public outrage demand his immediate removal, or would grace still have a place in judgment? How do we balance mercy with the consequences of leadership failures?”
Even today we can read about prominent people in political or religious life whose children are an embarrassment to them. We see too how certain sectors of the popular press can be judgemental or attempt to make a scandal out of such failings. Public demands for accountability are often met with indifference or evasion. We may find ourselves tempted to join in the gossip.
The cultural expectations that we have now are different from those in Eli’s day. Nevertheless the Bible contains some timeless advice:
Direct your children onto the right path and when they are older, they will not leave it.
Proverbs 22 v6 [NLT]
To discipline a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child.
Proverbs 29 v15 [NLT]
Contrast this advice with the words of Jesus:
Anyone who wants to be my follower must love me far more than he does his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, or sisters—yes, more than his own life—otherwise he cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14 v26 [TLB]
The apostle Paul questioned whether those unable to manage their own family are suitable for church leadership.
for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?
1 Timothy 3 v5 [AMP]
These verses create a dilemma which confronts many parents: to what extent should they take time out from serving the Lord in order to bring up their children.
The parents in our congregations do not have an easy task. How do we support – or judge – them?
References:
[1] Bad News, Good News
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Last week’s reflection: Knowledge is Strength
Contributed by Steve Humphreys; © Steve Humphreys