God Looks at The Heart
I started my “A Call to Adventure” series with a post on the life of Abraham, followed by a post on the life of Moses, and this is the third and final post on this series. In this post, I will focus on the life of David.
Background
The children of Israel had asked for a king like all the other nations (1 Samuel 8:4-5 for more on this story check out Like Everyone Else). God gives Israel what they want and Saul becomes the first king of Israel (for more on this check out Making a King). However, Saul disobeys God repeatedly and unrepentantly and is rejected as king (Mostly Obedient). Now God will choose someone to be the next king of Israel (A Heart Matter).
Chosen to be king
1 Samuel 16 records the story of God choosing David to be king.
Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.”
- 1 Samuel 16:1 NKJV
Samuel is not given many details beyond the name of the father of the new king. God tells Samuel to go and says “and I will show you what you shall do; you shall anoint for Me the one I name to you.” (1 Samuel 16:3b) Samuel does not know the name or what the new king looks like, he only knows he will be a son of Jesse from Bethlehem.
Samuel arrives in Bethlehem and invites Jesse and his sons to the sacrifice.
So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!”
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical 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.”
- 1 Samuel 16:6-7 NKJV (bold mine)
Saul had been a tall and handsome man (Tall, Handsome, and Clueless) however, those qualities did not make him a good king. God is more interested in the heart than the outward appearance. Our outward appearance shapes first impressions. Some people are very lucky that light travels faster than sound. I had a friend in college that was a very handsome man. There was even a joke about spotting freshman girls by seeing girls that were giving him a lot of attention. But it never lasted. Once he opened his mouth one by one the girls lost interest. He was good-looking, but you need more than good looks to succeed in life. This is great news for those of us who have not been blessed in the looks department. Character, hard work, dedication, and kindness go a long way to making a person a good friend, partner, and leader. Sadly there is much temptation to focus on our appearance to the detriment of our character. I don’t have anything against beautiful people, but it is sad to see someone who that is all they have going for them. They catch your attention and you may desire to befriend them, but they struggle holding on to friends and relationships in general.
Israel had Saul, a tall and handsome king, but he was not a godly man, and the whole nation suffered as a result. Here’s a tip for those of you who are reading this and are not married, please pay attention to the character of someone you might be interested in, do not become blinded by good looks. Some women are looking for the 666 in their future husbands. They are looking for a man who is six feet tall, has a six-pack, and has a six-figure income. Men many times will describe in great detail what kind of woman they would like to have as a wife, from height to the color of the hair, etc. However, I would argue that the reason God looks at the heart instead of the appearance is that character is far more important than looks.
Unexpected Turn of Events
Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.”
And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.”
- 1 Samuel 16:10-11
Not even David’s own father expected him to be chosen. What was David doing? Faithfully tending his father’s sheep. Being faithful to his duties, David, day by day, developed his character. God noticed David, God knew his heart, and even though David was the youngest among his brothers, he was the one God chose to be the future king of Israel.
It is amazing how many of the patriarchs had experience as shepherds. Shepherding is not glamorous nor is it easy, but apparently, it develops character.
So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!” Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel arose and went to Ramah.
- 1 Samuel 16:12-13 NKJV
A Hard Knock Life
David did not live an easy life, even though he was chosen by God to be the next king of Israel.
But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God.” Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
And Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you!”
- 1 Samuel 17:34-37 NKJV
I started working when I was about 15 and it was not the greatest job, I also worked at fast-food places, I cleaned bathrooms while in college, I have worked in a variety of places but none of my jobs ever included having to fight lions and bears. I imagine there are many who desire to be king, but few who are willing to face lions and bears in order to rescue little lambs. Many want the promotion, success, recognition, power, and influence, without having to put in the time and effort. There are many who put in minimum effort and yet complain that they don’t experience growth.
I understand that the world is not fair and hard work and dedication don’t necessarily always pay off as one would expect. I am aware that some reach positions of leadership while being incompetent. But cynicism and resentment will not contribute to a solution. I like to orient my life in such a way as to be a part of the solution or at least of what is right and good in the world.
David did his part as a shepherd. I wonder if he got stuck with tending the sheep because he was the youngest and none of his brothers wanted to do it. Little did his brothers know that it was exactly that line of work and the dangers he had to face that prepared his heart and increased his faith to the point of making David willing to face a giant. David believed that God would protect him, and he believed it because he had witnessed God do it in the past. David’s faith was not an idle faith, it was not merely intellectual nor was it an excuse for inaction and lack of preparation. David was skilled, I imagine he often practiced, he had faced dangers in the past, learned and grown from those experiences, and yet he always gave God the glory.
David did not simply pray for God to deliver his lamb and a lion ran off with it. David prayed and went after the sheep and experienced God use him in a mighty way. There’s something powerful about prayerfully showing up to face life’s challenges. Some claim that prayer does not work, but their whole experience with prayer is limited to praying from the comfort of their couch at home. I have experienced prayer out in the field and it always renews and strengthens my faith in God.
It is important to pray for others. I would argue that it is also important to make yourself available to help meet the needs of others as you are able. Could it be that more people are not called to be king because they are not willing to be shepherds? In other words, could we be disqualifying ourselves from a greater calling in life because we are unwilling to faithfully answer a smaller calling?
Authenticity
God called David because of his heart. God called David because he was not Saul.
So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So David took them off.
- 1 Samuel 17:38-39 NKJV
I am a big proponent of mentorship. I strongly believe in discipleship. But mentorship and discipleship do not mean transforming another person into a carbon copy of yourself. Our strength often lies in our differences. If David had tried to behave like King Saul or like Goliath he would have been destroyed. But David relied on what he had learned in his walk with God. David did what he had learned worked. This was not the first time David faced mortal danger, and he had first-hand experience of God’s power and ability to grant victory for His honor and glory.
Our faithfulness to God in everyday life strengthens our trust in God. Being loving, honest, and dedicated in small tasks prepare us for greater tasks. God calls us to an adventure, and the adventure does not take place overnight, but rather over the course of a lifetime.
David did not become king overnight. I have a whole series based on 1 Samuel entitled Of Kings and Men where I go into a lot more detail but for now suffice it to say it was a long and arduous road. Yet David was chosen by God to be the next king. This did not mean his life would be an easy one, but rather that his life would be worthwhile and that many would benefit from his faithfulness to God.
David’s life experiences, his “scars,” shaped his character, and it was his character that God valued. However, a good character does not mean you know everything, it simply guides your learning process, your decisions, and your future experiences.
How would you live your life if you thought of yourself as the hero of your story? I know that God is the ultimate hero and we are only able to do good because of God working in us. But by the hero of your story, I mean someone who God uses in a mighty way to bring honor and glory to His name.
For example, you are in school, there is a really challenging exam, and you are tempted to cheat, you ask yourself how should a hero behave?
You had a rough day, you were treated unfairly, you feel alone, like no one understands you, like no one is there for you, your old addictions come knocking and it’s almost unbearable. How would a hero behave?
Let’s say you mess up. You fail yourself and those you love. Not only that you also brought disgrace to the name of God in the process. You feel terrible, you see no way out, you don’t want to forgive yourself and you don’t expect anyone else to do it either. You know you deserve to suffer for what you did, and you are tempted to hurt yourself. How would a hero behave?
How about you pray something along the lines of
Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
- Psalm 51:1-2 NKJV
Psalm 51 is a beautiful prayer of repentance that David wrote after he committed adultery and murder. I highly recommend you read it sometime. David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14; Acts 13:22) but that does not mean that David was perfect or sinless, but rather that David always chose God, especially after he realized he had sinned.
You are the hero of your story! How should you behave? You already know, and God will provide you with the strength to do it! And Even when you mess up, just turn to God and He will forgive and strengthen and use you in a mighty way.
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
- 1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJVMy little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
- 1 John 2:12 NKJV
Challenge
Here is my challenge for you.
What is a task that you are doing that you could do better? What is one thing that you can do well and do it consistently, at least for a season?
It is easy to walk away, but what can you stick to and do your very best to fix, find a solution or at least improve?
If you have a big sin that is keeping you from accepting God’s call to adventure, I invite you to come to God and confess it, receive His forgiveness, and move forward to do something for His honor and glory!
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
- 1 John 1:9 NKJV
