Fourth Sunday of Lent

Today's Readings

There is a rich selection of readings today. My focus will be on the following verses from the First Reading:

As Jesse and his sons came to the sacrifice,
Samuel looked at Eliab and thought,
"Surely the LORD's anointed is here before him."
But the LORD said to Samuel:
"Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature,
because I have rejected him.
Not as man sees does God see,
because man sees the appearance
but the LORD looks into the heart."   - 1 Samuel 16:6-7

Through this passage, we learn of Samuel's natural tendency when he is appointed to go and find the next king of Israel among the sons of Jesse. Samuel sees one of Jesse's sons, Eliab, and he thinks that he has surely found who God intended him to find. A strong young man, fit for battle, probably a full beard - a very kingly look to him: surely this was the guy!

However, God has a different son in mind. He tells Samuel that, well, sure, Eliab may look the part, but that's not the point. God makes the profound statement: "Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart." Samuel is caught up in what he thinks is best. I would assume he began thinking about this strong young lad leading his people through strength. But God has a different, beautiful plan for His people: the shepherd boy, the youngest, David, would be the next king. He was a man after God own heart. God saw this in his heart, and, even though he also saw is future sinfulness, David was His selection - a kindhearted shepherd who played the lyre and approached life with a humble and bold heart of true faith in God's power and love. 

I want to share two potential applications from this passage. First, I think it applies to our natural bent toward thinking that we know what is best for ourselves. I look back at my transition from high school to college, and I see this dynamic playing out.  My idea was that I would study business and become an independent equity researcher. By the time I ended college, I had been accepted into three graduate schools to study theology. God had a plan that was much different than what I had envisioned. The sharp contrast in life trajectories led me to lean into God more and trust His plan over my own. God says this in Isaiah 55:8-9: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways—oracle of the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts."

The second point of application is a direct correlation: like Samuel, we must let our appearance-focused nature diminish so that we can focus on the heart - the hearts of others as well as our own hearts. Some questions to consider: Am I focused more on how I appear to others or how I stand before God? Do I tend to associate with people because of their reputation or because of their heart? What needs to change within my own heart so that I can pursue deeper friendships and more intimacy with God?

God looks at the heart. Let's follow His lead by examining our own hearts as Lent continues and ask Him to transform us by rooting our hearts more deeply into our identity in Christ: daughters and sons of God.

Anonymous