OCTOBER 20, 2015
An Inside View
The
Lord looks at the heart. -1 Samuel 16:7
Read:
1
Samuel 16:1-7
Retired physicist Arie
van’t Riet creates works of art in an unusual way. He arranges plants and
deceased animals in various compositions and then x-rays them. He scans the
developed x-rays into a computer and then adds color to certain parts of his
pictures. His artwork reveals the inner complexity of flowers, fish, birds,
reptiles, and monkeys.
An inside view of
something is often more fascinating and more significant than an exterior view.
At first glance, Samuel thought Eliab looked like he could be Israel’s next
king (1 Sam. 16:6). But God warned Samuel not to look at Eliab’s physical
traits. He told Samuel, “People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord
looks at the heart” (v. 7). God chose David, instead of Eliab, to be Israel’s
next king.
When God looks at us,
He is more interested in our hearts than our height, the state of our soul than
the structure of our face. He doesn’t see us as too old, too young, too small,
or too big. He zeroes in on the things that matter—our response to His love for
us and our concern for other people (Matt. 22:37-39). Second Chronicles 6:30
says that God alone knows the human heart. When the God who has done so much
for us looks at our heart, what does He see?
Dear God, help me to value what You value. As
I follow Your example, I pray that You will be pleased with what You see in my
heart.
The true measure of a person is what’s in the heart.
INSIGHT:
David is often used as an example of the best
and the worst of human behavior. Even though his sins are recorded in the pages
of scripture, the final verdict on his life is that he was a man “after God’s
own heart” (1 Sam. 13:14; Acts 13:22). What we often miss is the reason that he
is given this high acclaim. David’s nearness to the heart of God is reflected
most by his repentance after he sinned. Acknowledging that God’s way is right
(exemplified in the act of repentance) is the clearest demonstration of love
for Him. J.R. Hudberg
Source: Our Daily Bread 2015
