Man Looks At The Outward Appearance, But The Lord Looks At The Heart

Today’s Word Of Encouragement From Wayne:

“God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart”

1 Samuel 16:7

These are the words the Lord spoke to Samuel after he had arrived at the house of Jesse, where he had gone, following God’s word to him, in order to anoint the next king of Israel.

When Samuel first entered and saw Jesse’s son, Eliab, He thought, “surely the Lord’s anointed is before him” (1 Samuel 16: 7), which provoked God to speak these words about how He sees things differently, from the heart.

Jesse proceeded to show off seven sons to Samuel, and none of these were God’s anointed. Jesse obviously thought his youngest son, David, was so out of the running to be God’s anointed that he had left him out in the field tending sheep.

How was Jesse to realize that, in God’s eyes, He would much prefer a humble young tender of sheep any day over a proud and cocky string of seven sons strutting their stuff.

In this case neither Samuel or Jesse understood what God was truly looking for in His anointed.

Apparently Samuel did not yet understand God’s earlier word He had spoken saying,“ The Lord has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has appointed him as ruler over His people” (1 Samuel 13:14).

When you and I minister to our Lord, we are precisely after the heart of our God, which He sees. God is blessed by the appearance of our hearts before Him. Our “Lord looks at the heart” and ministering to the Lord is a matter of our hearts seeking after His heart.

Ministering to the Lord is our own tending to God, in His presence, so we may faithfully tend to His sheep, in His field, through His Spirit, wisdom, and truth.

“Man looks at the outward appearance.” Perhaps in your life you have experienced, as David did, being thought of as last, or not even regarded at all, having a Samuel (representing religion/ authority) or a Jesse (representing family) rendering their dismissive opinions of you. Well, God showed them didn’t He? I encourage you to forget about the dismissive opinions of others and instead press on, in love, from your heart into the heart of God.

Please do not trouble yourself by considering those things at all any longer, for there is only further pain in the hurtful world of “outward appearance” anyway.

I encourage you to joyfully be a humble young tender of sheep in God’s presence, with your heart towards Him, because He sure does like seeing that. Our Lord is looking upon our hearts and a heart that loves God, like David did, is special, precious, and outstanding to our Abba Father.

It’s not about what people see on our outside. It’s about what God, our heavenly Abba Father, sees on our inside.

Minister gratefully and gladly to your Lord today. Yes, step inside, and realize your Abba Father is so blessed to see a heart towards Him in His presence.

David was son number eight, which number in Scripture represents a new beginning. Beloved priest of God, have a new beginning of praise and adoration with your Lord in His presence today. Hallelujah!