Manage Your Heart

Have you ever seen someone and made a snap judgment? It’s unfortunate but it happens all the time. We make judgements about people based on the color of their skin, the clothes they wear, how much money they make or where they live. But are these really indicators of character? Have there been individuals who lived on the wrong side of the proverbial fence who behaved more honorably that those who lived in affluent communities?

In every area of life, we judge others by appearance; it happens to the best of us. In 1 Samuel 16, Samuel had a problem just like that. God rejected Saul as king, and it was Samuel’s job to anoint the next king of Israel. God directed Samuel to Jesse’s house and as he looked at Jesse’s sons, he saw one individual who looked like a king. Immediately, he thought to himself, this is the one! Verse 7 NLT says, ^“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Samuel made a judgement based on his appearance.

When God chooses someone, He uses different criteria. When Jesse was asked to present his sons, he summoned every son except David. Even in his father’s eyes, David didn’t measure up. But, it was not Samuel’s decision, it was God who made the choice. He rejected all those Jesse considered worthwhile and God chose David, the outcast of the family, for the next king in Israel.

What can we learn from this? It doesn’t matter what others think about you; their opinion doesn’t count. While Jesse and his sons were entertaining Samuel, David was in the field caring for the sheep. Even thought they didn’t value him, God valued him and in his family’s presence, David was anointed as the next king of Israel. You cannot control what others think or say about you but you can control what is in your heart. Manage your thoughts and keep your heart clean before God.

Thought for Today: Friend, remember God is looking at your heart.

Have a blessed day and walk in faith and victory.