THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
She refers to herself as a servant once more and strives in every imaginable way to ensure the priest holds a favorable view of her. She does not think, “Why should I care about his accusations? He has wrongly judged me and harbored unfounded suspicions against me. Let anyone criticize me, as long as my conscience remains untainted.” Rather, she embraces the apostolic instruction that encourages performing good deeds not only in the sight of the Lord but also before mankind (Romans 12:17). She takes every possible measure to dispel any doubts, saying, “You shall not ‘give your servant’ into the hands of the daughter of destruction.” What is meant by “in the face”? Do not see me as shameless or disrespectful; this boldness arises from sorrow, not from indulgence.
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Now let us consider her attitude as well. When the priest Eli mistakenly thought she was intoxicated, notice her response: “Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for out of my profound anguish and bitterness I have been speaking until now.” This truly reflects the work of a heart that is broken, where we do not respond with anger or irritation to those who belittle us, but instead find justification. Indeed, nothing imparts wisdom to the heart quite like sorrow and grief for the sake of God.