The Lord looks at the heart
1 Samuel 16:7 - We should prioritize inner virtues over looks, which aligns with the Bible’s call for us to keep our hearts and minds pure.
“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.””
1 Samuel 16:7 NIV
Our society puts too much significance on appearance. We are constantly reminded that we’re too fat, old, wrinkly, non-muscular, hairy, bald, and don’t wear attractive attire. That’s why today’s verse from 1 Samuel is so refreshing, since it tells us that “People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
At this point in this book of the Bible, Samuel (a prophet of God who anointed the first king of Israel, Saul) has been tasked with anointing a new king. Eliab, who is impressive in outward appearance, appears before Samuel and he assumes that he has found the new king. God corrects him with the words in this verse, and like so many of God’s people, Samuel doesn’t pick up on God’s intentions right away. After this verse, he mistakenly thinks that Abinadab, Shammah, and five other sons of Jesse are obviously God’s choice for the next king.
Wrong! Eventually, there is one son left. Sure, he looks good (“He was glowing with health and had a fine appearance and handsome features.” - 1 Samuel 16:12), but that’s not what God is looking for. He is looking at the heart of the young shepherd David, and that is who Samuel anoints - “and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David” (1 Samuel 16:13).
This verse is instructive to us in terms of comparing the divine perspective of God and the human perspective of man. What we may see as the “obvious” human choice is not always what God has chosen for us. God is pushing Samuel to look past the physical attributes of Eliab and most of the other sons of Jesse; Samuel has the mistaken and very human notion that a good leader is physically imposing and attractive.
It’s good to also notice in this verse that God has rejected Eliab. God selects leaders based on His purposes, not what humans may desire. There is also a profound level of meaning in the sentence “The Lord does not look at the things people look at”. It states that God is omniscient (all-knowing) and that He alone has the ability to discern the true character and intent of each of us.
The final part of this verse — “the Lord looks at the heart” — gains much more meaning when we look at the ancient Hebrew word for “at the heart”, which is לֵבָב (lēḇāḇ). It means more than just the muscle that pumps blood through our bodies. This exhaustive definition from Blue Letter Bible is very informative:
inner man, mind, will, heart, soul, understanding
inner part, midst
midst (of things)
heart (of man)
soul, heart (of man)
mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory
inclination, resolution, determination (of will)
conscience
heart (of moral character)
as seat of appetites
as seat of emotions and passions
as seat of courage
This shows that God understands the true nature of all of His creation, beyond our external appearance. The lesson from this verse? We should prioritize inner virtues over looks, which aligns with the Bible’s call for us to keep our hearts and minds pure.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Today’s prayer comes from Knowing Jesus -
Loving Father, may I heed this warning not to rely on outward appearances, knowing that the heart of man can be so deceitful. Thank You that You look through my outward appearance and see me as I truly am. You even know my motives for my words and deeds. Thank You that nothing is hidden from You. Help me to keep my mind fixed on Jesus in all I say and do, that it may be the life of the Lord Jesus that flows out from me, making me pleasing in Your sight. In Jesus' name I pray, AMEN.