Kids Who Are Wise Beyond Their Years Muestra

The children in the Bible were often wise beyond their years and in many instances, God used a specific event to shape them. Today, we read about an event that helped mold Samuel. Perhaps his account of that day would have read like this.

A Day in the Life of Samuel

What a night! When my mom named me Samuel, which means name of God, I wonder if she had an inkling about what I would experience. It started out as any other night. I laid my head down in the house of the Lord, where the ark of God is. Then I heard it.

“Here I am,” I said and ran to Eli, the priest. He is like a father to me and when he calls, I come to him right away. Eli looked confused and told me that he didn’t call out for me, so I returned to bed.

I heard it again. “Samuel!” I quickly returned to Eli. Again, he said, “I did not call.” Eli is becoming weak and his eyes don’t work well anymore. Now I’m beginning to wonder if his mind is going as well! 

The third time I heard it, I returned once more to Eli. This time, the wise old priest figures it out! He says, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” I returned to lie down, but my mind began spinning! God was talking to me? How could that be? I’m just a child. Does God speak to kids?

Then I heard it for a fourth time. “Samuel! Samuel!” My words stuck in my throat and my stomach lurched. I was in the presence of the Lord. The words eventually came out. “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

What followed was an awe-inspiring and heartbreaking experience. The Lord told me bad news for Eli and his family. I listened intently. When He was finished, I laid back down until morning. I was terrified to tell Eli the news. When I opened the doors of the house of the Lord, Eli called out to me. “Samuel, my son.” I answered, “Here I am.”

What happened next was very difficult. I told Eli everything the Lord had spoken to me. I hid nothing from this man who has been like a father to me. I was obedient to the Lord.

I know God will be with me as I grow. My allegiance is to Him. When you’re intimidated by those in authority, I encourage you to keep God as your priority. Remain faithful, even when the world looks at you in a cynical way. 

“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams’” (1 Samuel 15:22). Obedience to God must always be our top priority.

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Watch a video about a modern-day child who worshiped God during a traumatic experience.