The Open Heavens 16 May 2026 devotional for today is RAISING GODLY BOYS.
This is a daily devotion written by Pastor E. A. Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
OPEN HEAVENS 16 MAY 2026 TODAY DEVOTIONAL
TOPIC: RAISING GODLY BOYS
MEMORISE
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6
READ: 1 Samuel 2:18-26
18 But Samuel ministered before the Lord, being a child, girded with a linen ephod.
19 Moreover his mother made him a little coat, and brought it to him from year to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice.
20 And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife, and said, The Lord give thee seed of this woman for the loan which is lent to the Lord. And they went unto their own home.
21 And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the Lord.
22 Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
23 And he said unto them, Why do ye such things? for I hear of your evil dealings by all this people.
24 Nay, my sons; for it is no good report that I hear: ye make the Lord’s people to transgress.
25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.
26 And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the Lord, and also with men.
RCCG OPEN HEAVENS 16 MAY 2026 TODAY MESSAGE
In many societies today, more focus is placed on training girls than boys. While it is good to train female children to become responsible adults, the same focus must also be given to training boys; they must not be neglected. Every boy is a man in the making and the future leader of a home, church, organisation, or nation.
Zechariah 13:7 says,
“…smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered…” The devil understands this, so he tries to strike future shepherds before they are grown s that the sheep they are meant to guide will be scattered.
Every little boy around you is going to be a leader tomorrow, and the kind of leader he will be is dependent on the way he is raised today.
Samuel lived in the same house as the irresponsible sons of Eli, but he was not like them because he was a product of prayer (1 Samuel 1: 11), dedication (1 Samuel 1:2528), and godly grooming (1 Samuel 1:22).
If you are a parent, you must ensure that you pray for your boys constantly and dedicate them to God. You must spend quality time with them, grooming them to become good men who are well-suited to serving God. If you do these, with God helping you, you will raise men like Samuel.
The Bible tells us that Jesus grew in wisdom, stature, and favour with God and man (Luke 2:40, 52). That is the divine pattern – every boy should be nurtured to grow spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically.
For example, statistics show that many prison inmates had irresponsible fathers who were not present in their lives. Also, many boys today are left to be trained by social media, ungodly friends, and worldly music. Some parents only correct their sons after they have gotten someone pregnant, dropped out of school, or been sent to jail. It is better to train them when they are young than try to change them later; prevention is better than deliverance.
Today is the International Day of the Boy Child, and I urge all parents, guardians, and the Church to invest in boys just as they invest in girls. We must teach boys to pray and respect authority. We must also teach them the fear of God so they can build godly families when they are grown.
I pray that every boy child will grow up into responsible leaders who will please the Lord with their lives, in Jesus’ name.
KEY POINT
Every boy is a future leader, and they must be given the best training possible to help them become responsible leaders in society.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR
2 Chronicles 32-34
Open Heavens HYMN 33: GUIDE ME, O THOU GREAT JEHOVAH!
OPEN HEAVENS DEVOTIONAL 16 MAY 2026 COMMENTARY
MEMORISE: Proverbs 22:6
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
This verse is one of the most quoted promises in Scripture regarding parenting. It contains both a command and a promise. The command is to train—not just to feed, clothe, or house, but to actively shape the direction of a child’s life. The promise is that the training will stick. It does not guarantee the child will never wander, but it guarantees that the foundation will remain. When the child is old, the training will call him back.
BIBLE READING: 1 Samuel 2:18-26
This passage contrasts the boy Samuel with the sons of Eli. Samuel, a child dedicated to God by his mother Hannah, ministered before the Lord, wearing a linen ephod. He grew in favor with God and man. Meanwhile, Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were wicked men who despised the Lord’s offering and committed immorality at the tabernacle. They ignored their father’s weak rebukes. The passage ends with a striking verse: “And the child Samuel grew on, and was in favour both with the LORD, and also with men.” This passage demonstrates that the way a child is raised—with prayer, dedication, and godly grooming—determines the adult he becomes.
The Neglected Boy Child
In today’s devotional, Pastor E.A. Adeboye (Daddy Adeboye) addresses a critical issue that affects the future of families, churches, and nations: the training of the boy child. In many societies, more focus is placed on training girls than boys. While this is not wrong—girls absolutely need training—boys must not be neglected. Every boy is a man in the making. Every boy is a future leader of a home, church, organization, or nation.
The Devil’s Strategy Against Future Shepherds
The devotional reveals the devil’s strategy: “Smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered” (Zechariah 13:7). The enemy understands that if he can destroy the future leader, the people he is meant to lead will be scattered.
- Destroy the boy, and the future family will collapse.
- Destroy the boy, and the future church will have no pastor.
- Destroy the boy, and the future nation will have no godly leader.
The devil tries to strike future shepherds before they are grown. He attacks them through neglect, through ungodly influences, through broken homes, through social media, through worldly music, through absent fathers. If he can capture the boy, he can scatter the sheep.
Samuel vs. The Sons of Eli
The Bible reading gives a powerful contrast between two sets of boys raised in the same environment.
The sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas:
- They were raised in the tabernacle—the house of God.
- Their father was the high priest.
- They had every spiritual advantage.
- But they became wicked men who despised God’s offering, committed immorality, and ignored correction.
- Their end was death and judgment.
The boy Samuel:
- He lived in the same house as Eli’s irresponsible sons.
- He saw the same things they saw.
- But he was different.
- Why? Because he was a product of prayer, dedication, and godly grooming.
Samuel’s mother Hannah had prayed for him before he was born (1 Samuel 1:11). She dedicated him to God (1 Samuel 1:25-28). She invested in his spiritual training before he even went to the tabernacle (1 Samuel 1:22). As a result, Samuel grew in favor with God and man, while Eli’s sons grew in wickedness.
The difference was not the environment—it was the upbringing.
The Divine Pattern: Jesus
The devotional points to Jesus as the divine pattern for raising boys. Luke 2:40, 52 says that Jesus grew in four dimensions:
1. Wisdom (mentally) — He grew intellectually. His mind was trained.
2. Stature (physically) — He grew in body. His health was attended to.
3. Favor with God (spiritually) — He grew in relationship with the Father.
4. Favor with man (socially) — He learned to relate to others.
Every boy should be nurtured in all four areas. Not just spiritually, but mentally, physically, and socially. A boy who is only trained in one area will be unbalanced. A boy who is neglected in any area will be vulnerable.
The Consequences of Neglecting Boys
The devotional cites a sobering statistic: many prison inmates had irresponsible fathers who were not present in their lives. The absence of a godly father is a pipeline to prison.
Other consequences of neglecting boys:
- They are left to be trained by social media, which promotes ungodly values.
- They are left to ungodly friends, who lead them into trouble.
- They are left to worldly music, which corrupts their minds.
- They are only corrected after they have gotten someone pregnant, dropped out of school, or been sent to jail.
“Prevention is better than deliverance.” It is better to train a boy when he is young than to try to change him after he has destroyed his life.
How to Raise a Boy Like Samuel
If you are a parent, guardian, or church leader, here is how to invest in the boy child:
1. Pray for Them Constantly
Hannah prayed for Samuel before he was conceived. Prayer should not stop after birth. Pray for your boys daily—for protection, for wisdom, for godly friends, for their future spouses, for their calling.
2. Dedicate Them to God
Hannah gave Samuel back to God. Do not raise your boys for your own glory or success. Raise them for God’s purpose. Dedicate them to His service. When they know they belong to God, they will not easily belong to the devil.
3. Spend Quality Time Grooming Them
Training takes time. You cannot outsource the raising of your children to schools, churches, or babysitters. You must be present. You must talk to them, correct them, encourage them, and model godliness before them.
4. Teach Them to Pray
A boy who knows how to pray has a weapon that no enemy can defeat. Teach them to talk to God, to depend on God, to seek God’s guidance. Prayer will keep them when you cannot be with them.
5. Teach Them to Respect Authority
Eli’s sons had no respect for authority—not for their father, not for God, not for the people. Teach boys to respect parents, teachers, pastors, elders, and civil authorities. Respect for authority now becomes respect for God later.
6. Teach Them the Fear of God
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. A boy who fears God will not easily fall into sin. He will not be easily led astray. He will have a compass that points him back to righteousness.
7. Invest in Their Spiritual, Mental, Physical, and Social Growth
Do not only focus on grades or sports. Train the whole boy. Feed his mind with truth. Feed his body with proper nutrition and exercise. Feed his spirit with Scripture and prayer. Feed his social skills with healthy relationships.
A Call to the Church and Parents
Today is the International Day of the Boy Child. The devotional calls parents, guardians, and the Church to invest in boys just as they invest in girls.
- The Church must create programs that disciple young men.
- The Church must mentor boys, not just entertain them.
- Parents must model godly manhood before their sons.
- Parents must be present, not just providers.
“Every boy is a man in the making and the future leader of a home, church, organization, or nation.” What you invest in him today will determine what he becomes tomorrow.
Conclusion: Raise Men Like Samuel
The devotional ends with a prayer and a vision: raise boys who will become men like Samuel—men who grow in favor with God and man, men who lead with integrity, men who serve God all their days.
- Do not leave your boys to be raised by the world.
- Do not wait until they are in crisis to correct them.
- Do not assume that someone else will do the job.
Train them. Pray for them. Dedicate them. Groom them. Love them. And with God’s help, you will raise men who will not depart from the way they should go.
Pray this:
“Father, I thank You for every boy child—my own, my grandchildren, my nephews, the boys in my church and community. Forgive me for the times I have neglected their training or focused only on the girls. Give me wisdom to raise boys like Samuel—prayerful, dedicated, and godly. Protect them from the enemy who wants to strike them as future shepherds. Help me to invest in their spiritual, mental, physical, and social growth. Raise up a generation of godly men who will lead their families and nations for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Action Steps:
- If you are a parent of a boy: Set aside time this week specifically to talk with him about his future, his faith, and his fears. Listen more than you speak.
- If you are a church leader: Evaluate your church’s programs for boys. Are they being discipled, or just entertained? Make changes if needed.
- If you are a mentor: Consider investing in a boy who does not have a godly father figure in his life. Your presence could change his destiny.
- If you are a boy reading this: You are not too young to serve God. Samuel served God as a child. Jesus grew in favor with God as a boy. Seek God now. Your future depends on it.
- Pray for the boy child: This week, pray specifically for the boys in your life—by name—for protection, guidance, and godly development.
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