1 Samuel 16:7 - HOW IMPORTANT IS COLOR?
1 Samuel 16:7 (NKJV) But the LORD said to
Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the
height of his stature, because I have refused him.
For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man
looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD
looks at the heart."
INTRODUCTION
Israel's first king started well but
ended up completely self-absorbed. He apparently
thought God was building his kingdom rather than
calling him to build God's Kingdom. So after a
string of revealing episodes in which Saul acted
rashly, selfishly, and stubbornly, God spoke through
Samuel to inform Saul that his reign would be
stripped from him and given to someone with a
different heart.
That speaks volumes about the nature of
God's Kingdom. As the nation of Israel morphed
from a collection of tribes to a unified
monarchy, God gave them an illustration of what a king
shouldn't be before giving them a picture of what a
king should be. Saul was head and shoulders above
the rest, and he was even influenced by the
Spirit to prophesy and lead on more than one
occasion. But the overall direction of his life served
his own purposes, and he became paranoid,
obsessive, and manic in trying to hang on to them. In
Saul's place, God gave His people a shepherd with a
heart like His own - fiercely protective,
passionate for worship, zealous for justice, drawn to
the troubled and hurting, creative and artistic,
and inspired with divine insights. And when he
failed, he was able to repent without his ego
getting in the way. He wore the heart of a king on
his sleeve.
We see an even better picture of kingship
in Jesus, the exact image of the Father. But
before the ultimate King was revealed, God wanted
His people to know what kind of Kingdom He would
establish and more importantly, what kind of king
should sit on its throne. Why? Because the heart of
the king will be increasingly reflected in the
hearts of the people who serve him. God is looking
for hearts that overflow, with passion, purpose,
creativity, inspiration, compassion, justice, and zeal.
Just like His. [The One Year Heaven On Earth
Devotional by Chris Tiegreen]
COMMENTARY PEARL
Nobody is colorblind when it comes to
race. And God doesnt want you to be
colorblind. He wants you to be color blessed.
God loves color. Just take a look
outside! Everything he makes is in color, like
sunsets and flowers. Look at all the different
people around the world. God loves color! The way
he created you demonstrates this.
We need to learn to see all people the
way God sees them.
The Bible says, 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).
Quite frankly, thats a tall order for
most of us. Its not natural to look at the
inside before the outside. Were trained to make
snap judgments based on outward appearance.
Some people you trust just by looking at
them, others you dont. Books are judged by
their covers. Homes are judged by their curb
appeal. People are judged by how they look, dress,
and talk.
So ask God to help you start seeing
people the way he sees them. Look at their heart,
not their skin.
Its one of the first steps toward
overcoming prejudice in your life - and in the world
around you. [Daily Devotional by Rick Warren:
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
COMMENTARY
GOD WANTS YOUR HEART
Seven sons pass. Seven sons fail. The
procession comes to a halt.
Samuel counts the siblings:
one-two-three-four-five-six-seven. Jesse, dont you have eight sons? A
similar question caused Cinderellas stepmother to
squirm. Jesse likely did the same. I still have
the youngest son. He is out taking care of the
sheep. (v. 11)
The Hebrew name for youngest son is
haqqaton. It implies more than age, it suggests rank.
The haqqaton was more that the youngest brother-
the runt, the hobbit, the bay-ay-ay-by.
Sheep watching fits the family haqqaton.
Put the boy where he cant cause trouble.
Leave him with woolly heads and open skies.
What caused God to pick him? We want to
know. We really want to know.
The Lord does not see as a man sees:
for the man looks at the outward appearance, but
the Lord looks at the heart (v.7)
Those words were written for the
haqqatons of society, for misfits and castouts. God
uses them all.
Moses ran from justice, but God used him.
Jonah ran from God, but God used him.
Rahab ran a brothel, Samson ran to the
wrong woman, Jacob ran in circles, Ruth ran to a
distant land, Elijah ran into the mountains, Sarah
ran out of hope, Lot ran with the wrong crowd,
but God used them all.
And David? God saw a teenage boy, serving
him in the backwoods of Bethlehem, at the
intersection of boredom and anonymity, and through the
voice of a brother, God called, David! Come in.
Someone wants to see you.
God saw what no one else saw: a
God-seeking heart. Others measure your waist size or
wallet. Not God. He examines hearts. When he finds
one set on him, he calls it and claims it. [Max
Lucado Daily Devotional at maxlucado.com]
GOD HAS A PLAN
What do you live for each day? A pay
raise? Retirement? Then perhaps you've discovered
the reality that basing aspirations on getting
ahead in this world typically ends in
disappointment. People with a misguided sense of direction
often wonder why they feel unfulfilled.
Maybe you've already realized a goal of
saving for the future or moving up the corporate
ladder. You give to charity and volunteer at church,
but somehow still feel a sense of insignificance
or aimlessness. If so, there is a truth you
need to hear: God gives each of us life for a
very specific reason: to serve Him. Nobody finds
inner peace without reconciling this fact. Our
society teaches us that pleasure, prosperity,
position, and popularity will make us happy--but
living in the service of self always leaves an
emptiness no earthly reward can fill.
Besides, worldly philosophy won't stand
the test of time. Few of us are going to live
even 100 years. So whatever we'll become in this
life, we're in the process of becoming that right
now. Consider David: he was anointed king long
before actually assuming the role (1 Sam. 16:12).
He spent many years serving the purpose of God
in insignificant places while developing into a
great man. As his story shows, discovering God's
purpose for your life is the surest path to
success.
Our heavenly Father's purpose for our
lives comes from His heart of love--which is
perfect. None of us can foretell the great things He
has in store for us, but we can trust His plan
completely. Surrender to Him today and say, "Not my
will, Lord, but Yours be done." [In Touch Daily
Devotional by Charles Stanley at www.intouch.org]
LIVING GODS PLAN
Last week I was driving down the
interstate when I saw a bright yellow streak coming up
behind me. As it passed me, I saw an emblem on the
back that told me it was a Ferrari. I would have
loved to have checked it out a little better, but
it was traveling so fast that all I saw was a
blur.
Ten miles down the road, I saw that
Ferrari again. Only this time it didn't look so
good. It had tangled with the guardrail. The
driver was standing beside it, shaking his head.
Fortunately, there were no passengers, and he didn't seem
to be hurt.
As I rambled on down the road, I was
reminded that no matter how good we look to others,
we are all subject to a crash when we get
reckless and don't keep our focus on God and the
principles of his Word. It's always when we think
nothing can stop us that suddenly something does,
with painful consequences. We can seriously
damage this beautiful new life God has given us if
we fail to pay attention to the rules of the
road.
Lord God, thank you for the amazing life
you've given me. I will guard and protect it by
living my life your way! In Jesus' name, Amen.
[Celebrate Recovery Daily Devotional by John & Johnny
Baker]
WITH PURE MOTIVES
Something God taught me early in my
journey with Him, and reminds me of often, is that
He is not nearly as interested or impressed
with what we do as He is in why we do it. If we
give to the poor in order to be seen by men, we
lose our reward, because God is only pleased with
good works done for right reasons. If we fast or
pray in order to be noticed or admired, we lose
our reward, because God does not admire good
works done for wrong reasons.
Let us be sure that we do what we do for
God and His glory because we love Him and want
to be a blessing to other people - never to get
anything! There have been times in my life when I have
done the right thing but for wrong reasons. I
have done things thinking I might earn a blessing
from God. I have done things to please people
with no thought of pleasing God in mind. I have
done things to get attention or to gain
acceptance. I often wondered why I wasn't really happy,
even though I was doing good things, but
eventually I learned that true joy only comes from
serving God with a pure heart.
It is often difficult for a person to
take a deeper, more honest look at the true
motives behind the things they do, but I strongly
encourage you to do so. You may learn a truth about
yourself that will be life-changing and will set you
free. We are not truly free until we have no need
to impress anyone and our motives for all of
our actions are pure. This is an ongoing,
lifelong process, but it is one that pleases God.
Everyone else will see our actions, but God sees our
heart!
Prayer: Father, I ask You to forgive me
for doing things with impure motives. I want to
serve You with a pure heart and ask for Your
discernment as I go forward. Help me to be honest with
myself about why I am doing things! [My Time with
God by Joyce Meyer]
When I asked one of my kids to do a
chore, it was obvious this chore wasn't their top
priority or passion at the moment. My slightly grumpy
child obliged, obeying out of necessity, but only
putting in partial effort. That's when I slipped
into fatherly lecture mode, teaching about the
importance of putting your heart into what you do.
I've learned that whenever your heart
isn't right with God, whatever you do will be a
struggle. Perhaps that's why Jesus told us that before
we give a gift at the altar, we should make
sure we are right with other people (see Mall.
5:23-24). Jesus also quoted Isaiah and said that some
people would honor him with their lips but their
hearts were far from him (see Mali 15:8).
Any time we obey God but demand that he
give us our desired results, we are not obeying
with the right heart. We don't obey God so he
will bless us. We obey him because we love him.
I'm convinced that there are times God doesn't
change our situations because he is trying to
change our hearts.
Take a moment to examine your heart. Are
you struggling with being thankful and praising
God for what he's given you? Where is your true
devotion? Are you seeking God with true purity of
heart?
If not, it's time to change.
Because more than anything else, God
wants your heart.
Jesus, I surrender my attitude and
motives and want to make sure my heart is right with
you. Forgive me for my sins and restore my focus
on loving you. [Daily Power by Craig
Groeschel]
ILLUSTRATION
While shopping with my twelve-year-old
granddaughter, Lacey, I showed her a white headband with
the words Hello Gorgeous stitched in fancy
script. "I might get this for washing my face and
putting on makeup," I said. "But I would remove the
embroidered words.
"Don't do that, Nana!" Lacey said. "It
might be good motivation for you."
Bless her sweet, innocent heart. I didn't
explain that seeing that greeting in my bathroom
mirror in the mornings would motivate me, all right
- to roll around on the floor laughing.
It's hard not to get fixated on physical
beauty when we're bombarded with retouched,
air-brushed images of perfect-looking women and men.
Imagine how different it would be if our culture
promoted inner beauty, the kind that truly matters
and never fades away. The kind of beauty that
we've all seen shine through someone who loves
Jesus wholeheartedly.
Isaiah 53:2 tells us that Jesus had no
special beauty to attract people's attention. Still,
hymns about our "fairest Lord Jesus" and
"beautiful Savior" remind us that real beauty can't
necessarily be detected by human eyes. If we've trusted
Jesus to be our Savior, then God already sees us
as pure and unblemished. And the more we act
like Jesus, the more gorgeous we become. by
Dianne Neal Matthews
Faith Step: Which term for believers do
you most need to hear right now: chosen, dearly
loved child, beloved? Write it on a note to stick
on your bathroom mirror. Imagine Jesus greeting
you like that every morning. [Mornings With
Jesus 2019 Devotional by Guideposts and
Zondervan]
CLOSING THOUGHT
People tend to show only their best side
on social media. They curate and try to control
what gets posted, who sees it, and how others
respond to it. Most of the time, they're hoping
everyone will think they're the coolest, smartest,
most attractive, successful version of
themselves.
But rarely does our profile picture show
who we truly are. Those comments and captions
don't often express what's really inside. Wouldn't
it be interesting if there were an app allowing
others to know what you're really thinking, not
just what you post online?
If the people around you could look
inside your heart right now, what would they see?
Would they be surprised by what's there? Would you
be surprised by what's there?
Most of us hide our problems and disguise
our disappointments, trying to appear pleasant
and professional. When someone asks how we're
doing at work, we say, "Just fine, thanks. And
you?" Rarely are we authentic with most of the
people we encounter throughout the day.
But we can't fool God. No matter what our
online profile looks like, he knows what's really
inside us, both the good and the bad. But the best
news is that through the power of Christ, we
don't have to try to fool anyone. We're free to be
authentic, to drop our masks, and to share the truth of
our Father's love with everyone around us.
Dear Lord, today let others see Jesus in
me. Help me to live with integrity and display
an authentic attitude of love, kindness, and
gentleness - the real deal. [Daily Power by Craig
Groeschel]
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
Man looks at the outward appearance but I
look at the heart. The ability to see is a great
gift. I grant glimpses of My Glory via visual
beauty in nature. Great paintings, sculptures, and
cinematography can also help awaken your soul. Rejoice in
these glorious gifts, but do not become enslaved
to appearances. I am primarily interested in
the condition of your heart, and I work to
create beauty in it.
It is vital to set aside time for
nourishing your heart. Above all else, guard your
heart, for it is the wellspring of life. A
wellspring is a source of abundant supply. Since you
belong to Me, My own Life flows through you!
However, to keep this Life flowing abundantly, you
must protect your heart from evil influences and
nourish it with Bible study and prayer.
Aligning your priorities with My teaching
can be very freeing. When you don't like the way
things look in your world, close your eyes and gaze
at who I am. Remember that I am Immanuel - God
with you. (1Sa. 16:7; Pro. 4:23; Mat. 1:23)
[Jesus Always by Sarah Young]
CROSS REFERENCE FOR FURTHER STUDY
Romans 2:11 (NLT) For God does not show
favoritism.
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides:
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio (currently live):
https://bible.awr.org/the-warning/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug
Batchelor:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmGvdtMCf1aJTiC59-lPtuUMEq_uEn0BK
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
