Scripture
“The Lord doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by the outward appearances but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Observation
The Lord sends Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint one of the sons of Jesse to be the king to succeed Saul.

Samuel goes, and one by one Jesse's sons are presented to him, but the Lord tells Samuel each time, “This is not the one.”

Finally David is brought in from minding the sheep. The Lord confirms that David is the one to be anointed king and so Samuel anoints him. The Spirit of the Lord comes upon David from that day.

Application
Anointing the next king of Israel is something that you don't want to get wrong. Proclaiming God's favour on a potential leader gives that person authority.

Samuel learns through this experience that God doesn't choose the handsome, the strong or the natural leader. God's eyes are on the heart of a man, and David is described later as a man after God's own heart.

The warning for us is that we should not judge other people by their appearance. This is what the world does.

God judges people by their heart and not by their appearance- and so should we.

Prayer
Lord, you don't look at outward appearances, you look at the heart. Help me to see past the words and actions of those around me to see through to their hearts. Amen.