by Betty Brock

Hannah was a woman who shaped a leader, her son Samuel, when he was young and when she did not have much time to do the shaping. What can we learn about her? What can we apply to our current opportunities in working with the women of our church, especially those new Christians who are young in the Lord and whom we have little time to influence?

What kind of a woman was Hannah? She was not a woman who was envied by other women around her; rather, she was most probably pitied or demeaned by many because of her infertility and the culture of the times. Scripture also tells us that Peninnah, the other wife in the home, flaunted her ability to have children in order to irritate Hannah. Why would Peninnah desire to irritate Hannah when she was already ahead in the area of birthing children? Well, Scripture also tells us that their husband Elkanah loved Hannah more. Maybe therein lies Peninnah’s insecurity and therefore her desires to invoke a rage and discredit Hannah. It is true that Elkanah loved Hannah more, but he did not understand her desire when he asked the insensitive question, “Am not I better to thee than ten sons?” Even when Hannah went to the temple to pray and pour out her heart to God, she was rebuked by the priest Eli whose harsh words accused her of being drunk. We know that Hannah had very strong emotions about each of these areas when we read such words as “adversary” to describe the other wife, “provoked her sore,” “make her fret,” “she wept and did not eat,” “was in bitterness of soul” and “prayed unto the Lord and wept sore.” Yet Scripture does not record any negative response by Hannah. She had the discipline of gracious silence that builds rather than disrupts and destroys.

God answered Hannah’s prayer and gave her a son Samuel whom she gave back to the Lord. In that giving to the Lord, she dedicated Samuel to tabernacle service as a Nazarite, which began at a very young age. Not much detail of those years are given, but it is often surmised that Samuel was the oldest child ever to be weaned. Imagine the household where Samuel was born. Was he welcomed by Peninnah and her children? How did Hannah respond? I would imagine that Samuel was able to observe the gracious silence of his mother in the midst of turmoil and insinuating words. I believe Hannah probably explained to him why she could respond so graciously; but mostly, I believe, Samuel learned from observation.

Samuel is taken to the temple to live and serve while still a very young boy. Chapter two of 1 Samuel gives us the prayer of thanksgiving that Hannah prayed and most probably many of the key principles that she taught Samuel in those very early years.

1 Samuel 2:1-10—And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation. ²There is none holy as the Lord: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.  ³Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogance come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. ⁴The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. ⁵They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble. ⁶The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up. ⁷The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up. ⁸He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and he hath set the world upon them. ⁹He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail. ¹⁰The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed.

In our observation of Hannah, the recording of this prayer of thanksgiving at such a time in her life is crucial to understanding her influence. This is not just a prayer but a belief system about her Most Holy God that Hannah most probably taught Samuel.

In a short time in a young life, Hannah had tremendous influence. In discipling the new ones in Christ with whom we have so little time, we can also influence by the discipline of gracious silence, a life lived according to the realization of who God is, and a spirit of thankfulness  Young Christians learn from observation:  what are they learning from us?