21 March | EVERYONE
"But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’" 1 Samuel 16:7
Samuel sees nothing on his way to Bethlehem. He does not notice anything. Not even the fig tree filled with fruits that exhale a delicious aroma. A wrinkle of worry is drawn on his tired forehead. God has entrusted him with a mission, and he fears failure. The first king of Israel failed miserably, and the Lord allowed him to go astray in the turbulent paths of his pride, disobedience, and rebelliousness.
Now God has decided to anoint another king and exhorted Samuel to look for him in Bethlehem, a small town five miles from Jerusalem. That bucolic little village had once been the home of Ruth and Boaz, from whom Jesse's family descended.
When Samuel saw Jesse's eldest son, he thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!” (1 Samuel 16:6). Eliab was a tall, handsome young man. He had a regal appearance, but God told the prophet that he was making a mistake in judging the young man by his appearance. That had been the same blunder that Israel had committed in choosing its first king. Saul had the appearance of a king, but not the heart of a servant of God. And what God looks at is the heart.
The Scottish geographer Piers Blaikie once said, "The world is full of idolatry, but I wonder if any idolatry has ever been more widely practiced than the idolatry of outward appearance."
You are not what others claim because of your appearance. You are the most precious thing God has in this world.
Take Action
Hold fast to divine wisdom. With it, you will see beyond the external and learn to discern what is really important. Sing "The Lord Looks at the Heart" (if possible, with your family).