THE HEART WHICH GOD LOOKS!!

“…..man looks at the outward apparance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (I Samuel 16:7).

A famous musician was rendering music in a stage programme enthusiastically. The people around greatly enjoyed it. At that time a question arose in the musician’s heart. He wanted to know how the people would respond if the same music is played by him as an unknown artist.

So, he disguised himself as a beggar, stood in a street corner and began to render the same music with his violin. The music was wonderful but the people mocked at him. The same music which was greatly appreciated by all on the previous day was rejected on the next day. ‘What the man sees is the face alone’ was the reason for this.

Samuel went in search of a new king for Israel and he saw Eliab, the eldest son of Jesse. He considered Eliab to be the ideal candidate for the purpose. But God did not accept this proposal. He said, “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.”  

Devotion is a beauty liked by God. Further humility and gentleness are beauties to the liking of God. These are the beauties of the heart and the soul. At the time of marriage proposals, people show importance only to the outward appearance. But the Scripture says, “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.….let her own works praise her in the gates” (Proverbs 31:30, 31).

During those days, the Pharisees and Sadducees outwardly acted like saints. But they were filled inside with the spirits of fault-finding and disgusting nature. God said, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness” (Mathew 23:27, 28).

Dear children of God, learn to view with God’s insight. The children of God whom you see may be poor but if you find them to be truthful and honest, exalt them. Do not reject them based on their outward appearance.  

To meditate: “Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ’s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ’s, even so we are Christ’s” (II Corinthians 10:7).