1 Samuel 16:7-11: a reflection

7But the LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 8Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “The LORD has not chosen this one, either.” 9Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, “The LORD has not chosen this one, either.” 10Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.” 11Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your children here?” He said, “There remains yet the youngest. Behold, he is keeping the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.”

When Samuel comes to anoint one of Jesse's sons as king, he is impressed by the eldest, Eliab, tall and striking, and assumes he must be the LORD's chosen. But God corrects him: Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not see as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart. One by one, seven impressive sons pass by, and God chooses none of them. The one God has chosen is David, the youngest, out keeping the sheep, the one no one thought to call.

Notice the great principle God states: the LORD looks on the heart. People judge by outward appearance, by looks, stature, impressiveness, the visible qualities that catch the eye. But God sees deeper, past the surface to the heart, and he judges and chooses by what he finds there, not by what impresses people. The impressive elder brothers were passed over; the overlooked youngest, whose heart God saw, was chosen.

That truth cuts two ways for us. It is a warning against valuing outward appearance, in ourselves and others, as God does not; we are prone to judge by the surface, by looks and impressiveness and status, while God looks at the heart. And it is a comfort to the overlooked: if you are passed over by people who judge by appearances, remember that God does not see as they see; he looks at your heart. Do not judge others, or yourself, by the outward appearance that impresses people. Cultivate the heart, which is what God sees, and take comfort, if you are overlooked by a world that judges surfaces, that God looks deeper, at the heart, and it is by the heart that he sees and chooses.

Lord, when Samuel was impressed by outward appearance, you taught him that people look on the outward appearance, but you look on the heart, and you chose the overlooked David, whose heart you saw. Correct my own way of seeing. Keep me from valuing the surface, looks, impressiveness, status, in myself and others, as you do not. Help me cultivate the heart, which is what you see, rather than the outward appearance that impresses people. And comfort me, when I am overlooked by a world that judges surfaces, that you do not see as people see; you look deeper, at the heart. Let me care about what you care about, and rest in the knowledge that you see and value the heart, not the appearance. Search my heart, and make it pleasing to you.