Look at the Heart
READ
The backstory makes today’s scene even more dramatic: King Saul, Israel's first monarch, had repeatedly disobeyed God and been rejected as king. God told Samuel the prophet to stop mourning Saul's failure and go find Israel's next king among Jesse's sons in Bethlehem. This was dangerous work—if Saul discovered Samuel was anointing a replacement, it could mean death.
Picture this tense scene: Samuel arrives in Bethlehem with his anointing oil, expecting to crown Israel's next king. The town elders are nervous about the prophet's visit, wondering if they're in trouble. Jesse parades his sons before Samuel like contestants in some ancient beauty pageant. Eliab steps forward—tall, handsome, commanding presence. Samuel thinks, "This has got to be the one!" But God whispers, "Not so fast."
Let’s take a moment to read 1 Samuel 16:1-13:
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.”But Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.”
The Lord said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what to do. You are to anoint for me the one I indicate.”
Samuel did what the Lord said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, “Do you come in peace?”
Samuel replied, “Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”
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.”
Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, “Nor has the Lord chosen this one.” Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, “The Lord has not chosen these.” So he asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?”
“There is still the youngest,” Jesse answered. “He is tending the sheep.”
Samuel said, “Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives.”
So he sent for him and had him brought in. He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the Lord said, “Rise and anoint him; this is the one.”
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. Samuel then went to Ramah.
REFLECT
One by one, seven impressive sons are rejected. Finally, Samuel asks the question that changes everything: "Are these all your sons?" Almost as an afterthought, Jesse mentions the youngest—David—who's out doing the dirty work of shepherding sheep. When this ruddy-faced teenager finally shows up, smelling like livestock, God says, "That's him!"
This scene reveals something profound about God's kingdom values. While we're impressed by height, good looks, and social status, God is conducting a heart scan. David's heart beat in rhythm with God's own heart, even when no one was watching. His faithfulness with sheep prepared him for leading God's people.
The beautiful irony is that the one deemed "least likely to succeed" by human standards becomes Israel's greatest king. God delights in choosing the overlooked, the underestimated, and the ordinary to accomplish the extraordinary. David's selection reminds us that our value isn't determined by others' opinions but by God's loving gaze.
This passage challenges our modern obsession with external qualifications and appearances. In a world of LinkedIn profiles and Instagram highlights, God still looks at the heart. He sees your character when you think no one is watching. He notices your faithfulness in small, unseen moments. The shepherd boy's anointing teaches us that God's calling often comes disguised as ordinary faithfulness.
RESPOND
Take a moment to process what God might be leading you to do in light of what you read.
In what "small" areas of your life is God watching your faithfulness?
How do you measure success differently than God does?
Where do you need to trust God's assessment of you over others' opinions?
REST
Take a moment to rest in God’s presence and consider one thing you can take away from your time reading, then close your devotional experience by praying:
Lord, thank you that You see my heart when others only see the surface. Help me to be faithful in the small, hidden places where character is formed. Teach me to value what You value and to trust Your calling on my life, even when it doesn't make sense to others. Amen.