Journal entry April 17, 2026

Today's thoughts come from 1 Samuel chapter 1

In 1 Samuel 1 we find the story of a man named Elkanah. He had two wives, Peninnah and Hannah. That causes me to raise an eyebrow right there. Peninnah was bearing chilren but Hannah could not. Every year as the family made their way to the Temple to offer a sacrifice Peninnah would taunt Hannah to the point of tears for not being able to have children. Hannah would be so upset she couldn't eat.

In those days especially, if a woman couldn't have children it was a stigma almost too great to bear. On one of the annual trips Peninnah was being her usual snarky self and taunting Hannah. Again Hannah was in tears and so upset she couldn't eat. Elkanah being the observant "man" that he was, noticed this year! He said "Why are you crying, Hannah? Why be downhearted 'just because you have no children'? You have me.... isn't that better than having ten sons?"

I can only imagine that if looks could kill, Elkanah's trip to the Temple would have ended right there. This taunting had been going on for years, and the year he finally noticed he simply could not relate. With an over inflated ego and out of touch spirit, he is not sensitive to the burden she has been carrying for years. "Am I not better than ten sons"? Wow, really. But lest I think too poorly of Elkanah, I am sure as a man I am just as clueless to some of the burdens others are carrying.

This scripture spoke to me this morning and my need to be sensitive to those around me. I have a sticky note in my office reminding me that "Everyone is fighting a battle I know nothing about." As a man I need to be especially reliant on the Holy Spirits guidance. Men do not have the insightful intuition that God gave women and as such we can step on landmines that are right out in the open, we just don't see them.

Lord help me this day to be sensitive to the battles others are fighting. Help me to be caring enough to say something and wise enough to not respond like Elkanah. I pray in Jesus name. AMEN