On the Inside

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 people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)

Tension hangs in the air as the prophet Samuel approaches Bethlehem, where God has instructed him to go in order to anoint the next king of Israel. Jesse, a sheep farmer from the Old Testament, is the proud father of eight sons, and parades seven of them in front of Samuel. After seeing the tallest and strongest of these young men, Samuel thinks, “Surely, this is the Lord’s anointed!” 

But God corrects Samuel, and teaches us to instead adopt His viewpoint. Speaking the words of today’s passage to Samuel, God makes it abundantly clear: people look at appearances, but God is looking at our heart. 

Popular culture is so caught up on the outside. You think often about how you look, how you talk, where you live, what you wear, and how you are perceived. The world tries to manage perception through politically correct behavior, helping people say or do the right thing on the outside.

But the reality is that the core issue is on the inside, where one must be the right thing, first and foremost. God sees and knows your heart, that which is underneath all of the outside behavior. It is not your appearance, talent, or possessions that impress God; He’s interested in your heart.

In the deep places where no one else can see, God is already there, and He sees you more clearly than you see yourself. God is not asking for you to clean up your act before you come to Him. He is asking you to come to Him as you are, and allow Him to purify your life through His power.

No candidate is found among Jesse’s sons until he finally summons the last and the least, the one others overlook and ignore. David is brought in from the field and at that moment the Lord speaks to Samuel, “Rise, anoint him, he is the one.” (1 Sam. 16:12) 

No matter who has rejected, dismissed or discounted you, God is waiting to anoint you for His purposes. All you have to do is come to Him as you are, hiding nothing and bringing everything. No need to manage appearances, He knows you, loves you, and is ready to show you how to walk in His ways. 

Prayer: God, when it comes to who I am inside, help me to follow You fully, with every area of my life, so that I reflect You in my attitudes, thoughts, actions, and words. Show me those things in my heart that are not compatible with who You are. May I be the person You created me to be, from the inside out. In Jesus’ name, amen.