Staying Pure in the Face of Corruption - Conclusion

 It would have been easy for Samuel to reason that if the high priest his sons give in to sin, he might as well do whatever he wished. But the corruption of others, including those in positions of authority, is never an excuse to sin. Today, many Christian youths follow Samuel's example and keep "growing up with Jehovah"-even when some around them fail to set a good example. 

How did such a course work out for Samuel? We read: "All the while the boy Samuel was growing bigger and more likeable both from Jehovah's standpoint and from that of men." (1 Samuel 2:26) So Samuel was well-liked, at least by those who opinions mattered. Jehovah himself cherished this boy for his faithful course. And Samuel surely knew that his God would act against all the badness going on in Shiloh, but perhaps he wondered when. One night, such questions met an answer. 

Next time: "Speak, for Your Servant Is Listening"

From the jw.org publications