For All That We're Worth

1 Samuel 16:1-13

"The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

The story of David's anointing is an intimate look at the heart of God. Saul was king. But God's heart grieved Saul. He was evil. Even before Saul's reign ended, God was ready to anoint the coming King.

The Lord said to Samuel, “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.”

Did it ever cross Samuel's mind that God's chosen, the anointed one, would be the youngest of 8 sons? It certainly didn't cross Jesse's mind. When he gathered his sons for Samuel, he didn't even bother calling for David from the pasture. He was just a boy; a shepherd. 

One by one, Jesse's sons stood before Samuel. And to each, he said "The Lord has not chosen this one either."

There had to be confusion and frustration in the household, as each young man held his breath, waiting to hear Samuel say, 'this is the one!'. But God, with full control and intention, looked past birth order. He looked past age, experience and stature. He looked passed physical ability and education. He looked into the heart of a boy named David and saw a king.

Samuel took one look at David, and God said to him, "rise and anoint him; this is the one". 

It's easy to look in the mirror and see what the world sees instead of what God sees. We all feel unqualified and in over our heads at some point (or points) in life. There was nothing in David that the world would see as royalty. It probably even confused David.   'Why me??'

God is bigger than where we come from. He is beyond 'where we've been' and 'where we're going'. He is not limited by us.

1 Samuel 16:13a "So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David"

This week, may we each look past ourselves, and everything that makes us 'unqualified'. Ask God to search your heart, and reveal to you what pleases (and displeases) Him. And may God give us eyes to see into the hearts of others the way He sees them. 

Deeply and intimately. 

For all that they're worth.