Dropped words

 

1 Samuel 3:19-4:2

When I read today's passage, I thought of the "King of Queens" opening credits. The starring couple stand at an ice cream truck and then turn to leave. Both have an ice cream cone in hand. As they turn, Doug drops his cone to the ground. Instinctively and in sync, they both turn back to get another cone because once the ice cream hit the ground it was useless. These days, a lot of words fall like that ice cream. So many people have so much to say. Political commentary fills our airways. Constant speculation about the economy and world events consumes many of us. And then there's the sports and entertainment worlds. People host television and talk shows every day. They so often share what turns out to be misguided or hollow observations. A lot of it is downright silly and absurd, if not meaningless and dishonest. We're so accustomed to the bombardment of words we don't realize how much goes unchecked. But they keep talking because we keep listening. The ancient Israelites must have worried about what they were really supposed to listen to. In Deuteronomy, God says, "You may say in your heart, 'How will we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?' (18:21). In other words, people will say a whole lot. So, how do we know what comes from God and is worth our attention? God explains, "When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken" (8:22). Don't be afraid of that prophet. That's what makes what 1 Samuel says about Samuel so important. As the young Samuel grew, "the Lord was with him" (3:19). Samuel's words would've been as useless as Doug's dropped ice cream if God wasn't with him. But the young prophet spoke what God instructed and the Lord "let none of his words fall to the ground." I've read that's either an archery image or an allusion to wasted alcohol.  Either way, it meant that what Samuel spoke came true. The people had become accustomed to hearing the empty words of the priests. So, Samuel's ministry was much needed. Of course, that reminds us of something about Samuel's place in our faith story. But it also challenges us to pay attention to what we listen to. Why do we settle for and give so much attention to words that merely fall to the ground? Stay blessed...john