What God looks at

How God looks at people and how we look at people can be radically different sometimes.

When God sent Samuel to search for the next king of Israel from the family of a man named Jesse, Samuel was impressed when the oldest son was brought out.  But God said,

Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at.

Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7)

Six more sons were brought out before Samuel, but God rejected each one.

Jesse thought David was so insignificant, it never even occurred to Jesse to bring him out before Samuel.  “David’s the youngest.  He’s just a shepherd.  He’s just a boy.”

It was only when Samuel asked, “Isn’t there another?” that Jesse said, “Oh yeah.  Well, there’s David.  But he’s nobody special.  He’s just a shepherd.  Are you sure you want to see him?”

But when David came, God said,

Rise and anoint him; he is the one. (12)

As humans, we tend to judge people by their appearance.  By how handsome they are.  Or beautiful they are.  Or how smart they are.  Or how rich they are. Or how talented you are.

But God doesn’t look at these things.  He sees the heart.  And as  I’ve mentioned before, the thing he wants more than anything else is your heart.

You may be impressing other people with your looks, your intelligence, or what you have.  But God doesn’t look at these things.  Instead, he looks at you and says, “Do I have your heart?”

If he has your heart, then it doesn’t matter how you look or how talented you are, or how much you have.  God can use you to do great things for his kingdom.

God did that with a simple shepherd boy who was overlooked by his own family.  He can do the same with you.

What does God see when he sees you?  Does he see a person who belongs to him?