-Devotion by Rachel Cain (OH)
They say that you can’t judge a book by its cover.
Through the many thousands of books my bibliophile family has checked out from our local library, we’ve found some instances in which a book’s exciting cover art did not at all indicate the dull or inappropriate nature of the story, but we’ve also noticed times in which the lackluster cover did no justice to invite the reader into the truly engaging tale told within its pages. Likewise, it’s easy to make judgments about people at first glance and to label someone incorrectly, for the good or bad.
When I was in elementary school, my youth group was invited to participate in a Billy Graham Crusade children’s choir. I thought it was so cool to perform with hundreds of other children at a local minor league baseball stadium! I don’t remember much beyond one of the musical numbers that still resonates with me: “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (based on I Samuel 16:7). That scripture song encouraged my soul, which was weary from the teases and jeers of my peers. It reminded me that God cared more about who I was inside than what I looked like on the outside.
That verse I mentioned above about people focusing on appearance while God sees deep into our hearts was spoken by God when he sent Samuel to Jesse’s family to meet the new king. David was initially not even invited with his brothers to be selected for the potential kingship, perhaps because he was the runt of the family, more stinky shepherd than warrior (even though David boasted a thorough resume of survival and sheep-protection stories that could probably put to shame the war talk of his brothers and other cowardly soldiers.) Though verse 12 indicates that David was healthy and handsome, maybe he didn’t look quite as kingly as his brothers; nonetheless, David was a man after God’s own heart and an ancestor to Jesus, our Forever King.
God knew David had a genuine heart that was eager to serve his Lord, which was far more important in a king than being tall, dark, and handsome. If David’s photo had been on the cover of a book about kings, perhaps no one would have bothered to read such a juxtaposition! Though the culture thought David’s appearance lacked kingly features (and even though David was still a flawed human), he was a part of the greatest story ever told in the most important Book ever written. Will you, too, seek to have a heart like God’s and play a role in His ongoing story?
Reflection questions:
What are some ways that people have misjudged you? How have you misjudged others?
What kinds of expectations or hindrances do you need to release to God so He can help you reach your full potential for His purposes?
Prayer:
Father, help us to see others through your eyes. Give us a heart like yours.
Seek Grow Love 