INTRODUCTION
Man goes by what they see. Have you ever misjudge someone, finding out later that it was not true? Someone once said, we tend to value people in at least 3 ways:
(1) what a person HAS - his looks, his possession - rich, car he owns, house he stays... this is not only a very inaccurate measure, but temporary. It changes over time...
(2) what a person DOES - his accomplishments... the world looks for these. In our resume, we’ll try to put forward every possible accomplishments we have in the past.
(3) what a person IS - his character. This is God’s priority - He does not focus on our having the right things or doing the right things, but rather on our being the right person. Because if our heart is right, our actions will be right.
Samuel the prophet was mourning for Saul, because Saul has become so disobedient to God. God said, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king."
But Samuel said, "How can I go? Saul will hear about it and kill me."
The Lord said, "Take a heifer with you and say, ’I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate." Taking a heifer to sacrifice is going on official business for a prophet. But, the real reason he is going to Jesse’s house is to find a new king.
When Samuel arrives, he first in Jesse’s family he saw was Eliab, Jesse’s oldest son. Apparently Eliab must have had kind of a royal look, he must have looked impressive, well-built, strong and tall... Samuel thought, "Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord..."
But the Lord said to Samuel, "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." It reveals God’s priority and perspective.
Jesse has six more sons, many of them look equally good. Yet Samuel has to say, "No, this is not the one the Lord has chosen." Finally he asked Jesse, "Are these all the sons you have?"
"There is still the youngest," Jesse answered, "but he is tending the sheep."
Samuel said, "Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives." So David arrives.
David is the youngest, probably around 15 years old. Physically not as strong as his brothers. No governing experience. The only thing he knows was how to do is tend sheep. From the human point of view, he is definitely not a candidate for a king. But, the Lord said, "Rise and anoint him; he is the one." (16:12b).
That day Samuel learned what we are learning. God is not concerned about the outside, but about the inside. Character, not appearance, is what counts. Remember 16:7b "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
From God’s perspective it doesn’t matter if you are black or white, short or tall, fat or thin, beautiful or ugly. Your your past record, your qualification, current status... is not important to God. What positions you have held or how popular you are don’t matter. God cares about what is on the inside, and He can see exactly what is there.
Look at Saul and we’ll understand.
1 Sam 9:2 "...Saul, an impressive young man without equal among the Israelites - a head taller than any of the others." That was probably why he was popular and he was made king.
Although his outward appearance was impressive, his heart was not. The chapter before showed us that Saul has turned away from God and was no longer obedient to God. In fact, he has set up a monument in his own honour. He may looked impressive, but his heart was "rebellious and arrogant." (cf.15:23).
On the other hand, when God looked at David - just a small boy - God saw "a man after My own heart; who will do everything I want him to do." (Acts 13:22; 1 Sam 13:14). God rejected one - and accepted another - on the basis of this. Is your heart obedient and submissive to God? Are you willing to do God’s will and seek to fulfill His purposes?
Today we are living in a culture which is overly obsessed with physical appearance.
· Surveys have shown that initial impression, how you dress or how you look like, is often the most important factor in getting a job.
· We spend millions of dollars on advertisements; on fashions and cosmetics which are intended to help us look better.
· A survey was done on people who regularly go to health clubs for exercise. They were asked, "Is the primary reason you exercise to improve your health or your appearance?" Most said, "Appearance."
· Many youth today suffers eating disorders because they wanted to look slim.
A group of college students was asked this question: If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be? We don’t expect them to say, "I would like to be more holy, or more patient."... probably something like, "I wish I were more intelligent, richer, more fit, or more popular."
In this study, 90% said they would choose to change their physical appearance. That is the first thing that came to their minds. The girls wanted to be thinner, the boys wanted to be taller, and both wanted to be free of acne.
This is not just the teens. The millions of dollars spent on face lifts and plastic surgery each year show that appearance is something we see as very important. They are not just merely dissatisfied, many are depressed by their appearance and obsessed with finding a way to change it.
Looking good is perfectly fine. We need to look good. Yet we must not stress its importance beyond what God intends. What is most important is our heart condition before Him. We need to learn the same lesson that the prophet Samuel did 3000 years ago.
It is not what we are like on the outside, but what we are like on the inside that really counts.
God tells Saul, "I looks at the heart."; "I want to see your character." This is JESUS concern:
Matt 15:7-8 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: "’These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."
Mark 12:38-40 As he taught, Jesus said, "Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely."
HOW DO WE MEASURE OURSELVES TODAY? Where do we get our sense of self-worth - not on how the world sees us, but how God will see us today. It is not about what you have - possession; it is not about what you do - your accomplishments. It is about your character - what kind of person you are.
If we take so much effort to look good on the outside, let us put in greater effort to look good on the inside. Since this is what God sees, we need to strive for inner beauty - humility, obedience, compassion, kindness, loving... 1 Pet 3:3-4 "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight."
Billy Graham: "We’re suffering from only one disease in the world. Our basic problem is not a race problem. Our basic problem is not a poverty problem. Our basic problem is not a war problem. Our basic problem is a heart problem. We need to get the heart changed, the heart transformed."
Jer 17:9 "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"
Prov 4:23 "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."
One can change the time on a clock either by moving the hands or by moving the main wheel. And just as it is better to change the time by moving the inner mechanism, so it is better to move a man - whether oneself or another person--by influencing his consciousness.
- Leo Tolstoy in his essay Why Do Men Stupefy Themselves? Christianity Today, Vol. 33, no. 9.
LET GOD HELP YOU...
The fact that God looks at our heart, He knows all that we are going through.
· We need not be overly disturbed if others slander us if we know we have not done anything wrong before God. He is our final Judge.
· He knows all that you are going through. Sometimes, you feel all alone because no longer understand your grief. People can only look on the outside. God sees your heart and understand your pain. If your heart is broken, He knows how badly broken it is. And He only can heal it.
Matt 6:8 "...your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." Pray to Him.
Dear friends, come to Jesus today. He knows all about our life because He made us. We have fallen away from God... He can put our broken heart together again. Only God can make you beautiful on the inside. The world can make you beautiful on the outside, but only God can change your heart. This happens when we put our trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. If you have not done that, this is what you need to do today.
