Standing Out Where No One Can See

 

Monday, April 26, 2021

Now the Lord said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem.  Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.”  But Samuel asked, “How can I do that?  If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”  “Take a heifer with you,” the Lord replied, “and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord.  Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me.”  So Samuel did as the Lord instructed.  When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town came trembling to meet him.  “What’s wrong?” they asked.  “Do you come in peace?”  “Yes,” Samuel replied.  “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.  Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.”  Then Samuel performed the purification rite for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice, too.  When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!”  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.”  1 Samuel 16:1-7

David was about to be picked as the next king of Israel, and Samuel, prophet, and consummate-insider to the current king, doesn’t have a clue.  He was looking for the tall, impressive, kingly sort, and Eliab seemed to fit that profile.  His picture would look good on Israel’s Chamber of Commerce brochure inviting people to visit and spend their cash.  He would be a dashing, electrifying figure in a chariot for the army and cavalry soldiers – a very inspiring presence for sending them off to war.  But God said, Nope…not him.  He doesn’t have the heart I’m looking for.

And who, exactly is the one who does have that kind of heart?  It was David – somewhat less-impressive in the Instagram sense – not likely to grab the attention of the Kardashian followers.  But David had a heart in tune with God’s heart.  And that is always where God is looking.

We live in a world that has gone mad for the rock-star mentality.  It is about as certain as the sun rising in the east that sound-bites, beauty, charm, and outlandish lifestyles will grab the attention of the public like a dangling lure will attract trout (for at least 5 minutes).  But in the realm of substantive choices, God is looking for those who have heeded what David’s son, Solomon would one day write:

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.  Proverbs 4:23

So, what was it about David that developed such a heart?  David lived a life of quiet, but certain, dedication to finding and following God’s will.  His heart was bent towards all the things God loves, faithfulness, purity in lifestyle, righteousness over appetites, and more.  It is the simple statement of another of God’s prophets that wraps up having a heart of which God approves:

No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.  Micah 6:8

For You Today

It’s easy to get sucked-into grabbing for attention and an audience of followers.  That’s mainstreaming, but it also leads to a façade of glitz, which, at the end of the day, will fade into a newer, glitzier model.  But a heart for God will never go out of style.  And never is a lot longer-lasting than just a moment in time.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!  

[1] Title Image: Pixabay.com   Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©