How Do We See?

“For the Lord does not see as man sees: for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
I Samuel 16:7

I know you haven’t been counting, but how many  times have you ignored or overlooked someone or a group of people based on how they looked?  It’s not something we want to own up to, but I think we all have to plead, “Guilty.”

A number of years ago, I attended a conference with  a group of women. A few of us sat together for the evening session, eagerly awaiting the speaker’s presentation. When she came onstage, we looked at one another with raised eyebrows. From the woman’s peasant look, we couldn’t believe she’d have anything worthwhile to say. Then she opened her mouth  and began her presentation. We were flabbergasted at her brilliance  from the first few minutes, and we came to respect the gifted anthropologist, no matter her plain-Jane look. We had it all  wrong, judging on appearance.

Something similar happened when God sent Samuel to find a replacement for King Saul, who had overstepped his bounds by taking on priestly duties. God directed Samuel to Bethlehem to the house of Jesse to find the right  person. Jesse had eight sons. He presented the first one, Eliab, to the prophet, who saw the impressive-looking young man and right away said,  “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before me.” God said, “Don’t look at his stature, because I have  refused him.”  Seven sons passed before Samuel, and seven times God refused them. Samuel asked, “Do you have anymore sons?” Father Jesse said there was the youngest one, but he was out taking care of the sheep. Samuel asked to bring him in, and the “ruddy” bright-eyed, good-looking David came in and got  the nod from God. He was chosen.. I don’t know how the brothers felt at that point, but it must have been a bit galling to see the runt of the family selected.

How did God choose the right person?  He looked at the heart. If we don’t look “as God sees,” we can be dismissive of people who don’t measure up  in our eyes. It happens in families where the one who seems destined for failure gets none of  the push or the praise.  Teachers also can look at appearances of skin color and family limitations  and discourage a child from setting high goals. God looks past all handicaps and unfavorable circumstances and reads the heart. We are busy looking at outward appearance, when all the while God is at work looking deep into people and preparing them for glory now and later.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to look at others, who are made in Your image, as being capable of doing great service and accomplishing the highest good for Your kingdom.

Always,

Judith

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“While we look not at the things which are seen,
but at the things which are not seen.”
( I Corihthians 4:18)