Beneath the Surface

Today's Verse:

But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. ~1 Samuel 16:7 

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Have you ever eaten a jackfruit, rambutan, cherimoya, or mangosteen? On the outside, these fruits do not look especially appetizing. However, once you open them up and take the actual fruit out to eat, each is very tasty. The outward appearance might initially give you second thoughts about eating the fruit, but what is on the inside is what really matters. Samuel was obeying God’s command to find the next king among the sons of Jesse. The first two sons looked very handsome, manly, and the type who would resemble a king. David was perhaps sixteen at the time and looked like he needed a few more years on him to become a man. However, God rejected David’s brothers because He was looking for a man who, beneath the surface, had the important qualities for becoming the next king. This morning, we are considering how God looks beneath the surface for the man He will use. 

We see the critical factors. 

God has never had outward appearance as His criteria for a spiritual position. God desires a man who is blameless in character, filled with the Holy Ghost, and full of wisdom. The outward appearance tells you little to nothing about a man’s character. God looks at the heart of every man. First, is he a saved man? Second, does he love the Lord and have a desire to advance God’s kingdom? Third, is he a man of consecrated character? Is he honest? Does he have a good reputation with the unsaved world? Does he pay his bills on time? Is he respected for exercising sound judgment? Fourth, is he credible in his testimony? God was looking for a man after His own heart, and David was that man. 

We see the consecrated faith. 

David was a man of incredible faith. He was renowned for taking on the giant Goliath and killing him with one stone and his sling. Men of consecrated faith are ready. He may have been at the Valley of Elah that day to drop off some cheese and bread, but when no one responded to the challenge of the giant, David was ready. Men of consecrated faith are men who are robust. He had proven himself in private on the backside of the mountains by single-handedly confronting and killing a bear and a lion on separate occasions. He was courageous and bold. Men of consecrated faith are men who are realistic. He initially did go out in Saul’s armor, which he had never proven, but ultimately he went out with trusted weapons that could take any giant down: five smooth stones and his sling. These weapons were undergirded by his faith in God and found their mark without any question. Men of consecrated faith are men who are rare. There were hundreds of thousands of men of Israel in the camp that day, but there was only one David. He was the only one who had the faith to believe that God can do the impossible. 

We see the copious fruit. 

What God saw beneath the surface in David’s life was a life that would bear much fruit. When we study David’s life, we see the fruit of a faith that was under fire. David teaches us how to trust the Lord when we go through difficult times. When we study David’s life, we see the fruit of the influence of godly leadership. The men who came to David and became part of his great military force were amazing. These men were heroes and respected for their feats. Yet, they found camaraderie in David. David also shows us the fruit of preparing for the future. He did not build a temple for God during his lifetime, but he adequately prepared the next generation for this noble project. God looked beneath the surface and saw lasting fruit from David’s life. 

What does God see beneath your surface this morning? What does God see that, if was given exclusively to Him, would bring glory and honor for years to come? 

Have a transparent God Morning! 

Bible Reading Schedule: Isaiah 18-22

#1Samuel #Heart