Today’s Bible Reading: 1 SAMUEL 15:1-17:31
1 Samuel 16:7
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearances, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
We are a world deceived by appearances. What looks good on the outside may not be good. What appears to be acceptable may be rejected. We select by sight. We choose by countenance. We pick by presence. We are obsessed by the outer. We pour our time and energy into perfecting our image rather than purifying our integrity. But God is not impressed by how we portray ourselves. His evaluation is not based on the external, but the internal. He looks beyond our stature into our soul. He looks on our heart.
Saul had just been rejected as the king of Israel. At first glance, his appearance was kingly, “there was not a man more handsome than he. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people” (1 Sam 9:20). By Biblical accounts he was tall, dark and handsome. He seemed to be the right choice to rule. The outside looked fabulous, but the inside was flawed. His appearance was splendid, but his attitude was sinful. He was self-seeking, self-absorbed and self-gratifying. Time and time again he demonstrated that his heart was not in the right place. His disobedience led to his dismissal.
God proclaims that He is seeking one who serves not his own interests, but those of the Lord. Samuel declares, “The Lord has sought after for Himself a man after His own heart . . . “ (1 Sam 13:14). God’s criterion for greatness is not defined by ones appearance, but by their affections. He overlooks a man chasing after “his own” heart and looks for a man after “His” heart. That person has the same passion as the Lord. His desires are those of the Lord. He is burdened by what burdens the Lord and he counts important what God deems important. He is consumed with the things of the Lord and how he might please the Lord.
Samuel forgot all this when he was sent to select a new king from the sons of Jesse. He looked at the lineup of sons and it “appeared” that Eliab was the “Lord’s anointed”, but he was looking with earthly, not eternal eyes. He had to be reminded that “the Lord sees not as man sees . . . the Lord looks on the heart.” What was set before the Lord was not what the Lord selected. His selection was a shepherd keeping the flock. His choice was the one left out, the one not included, and the one that was disregarded. He didn’t make the likely selection of the biggest and the best, but He chose the unexpected, the youngest and least likely. He chose a heart attitude over physical appearance. We can see how men look, but God sees who they are.
We at times might experience erroneous appraisals. Others may discredit us, dismiss us or disregard us, but God has a design for us. He can and will use the least likely to make the biggest impact for His kingdom. He chooses by His choice without considering man’s conclusions. He knows that beauty is vain, vacillates and eventually vanishes, but one who fears the Lord is to be praised (Prov. 31:3). Appearances fade but affections flourish. Our physical appearance will diminish, decay and decline in time, but one who has a heart for the Lord has affections that will increase and intensify over time. Perhaps that is why God looks at the affections of our heart knowing that they will grow bolder and brighter day by day. Let your affections be for Him.
Thank that Lord that He looks beyond what we look like to see who we are. Praise Him that He sees not only what is on the outside, but what is on the inside. Thank Him that He has a plan and purpose for you in His kingdom’s work. Ask Him to help you to see people like He does and to never disregard the dismissed or disenfranchised from finding their place in serving Him. Thank Him that He looks on your heart.
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