Is Your Heart Worth Looking At?

By Dr. Brandon Steenbock, Family Minister

The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. - 1 Samuel 16:7

I would hope that when people meet me, they wouldn’t judge me based on how I look, or how put together I am, or even on how I carry myself or the words I say in the moment. I might be well-dressed and put together, or I might be having a rough day. I might be confident and sharp, or I might be distracted and off. I might listen well, say what I mean, and speak clearly, or I might get wrapped up in my own story, say something stupid or jerky, or just stumble my way through a whole lot of nothing. I hope people will judge me by what’s in my heart, not what they see.

Wait. That’s not right. No, I don’t think I want people to judge me by what’s in my heart either. Because sometimes I’m awfully selfish. Or prideful. Or lustful. Or fearful. Or angry about something petty. Or mean or judgemental or… Look, the point is, my heart isn’t the best thing, so if people judged me by my heart, that would be even worse. 

When the prophet Samuel was sent to anoint the next king of Israel, he was quick to judge by what he saw. Tall, well-built guy? Must be the next king. But God said no. Okay, the handsome one! God still says no. One man after another, Samuel was sure that what he saw was the sign he was looking for, but God says, “The Lord looks at the heart.” And on that basis Samuel was led to anoint the kid David - a little redhead who smelled like sheep. 

But the Lord looks at the heart. What he saw in David’s heart was a man who would be devoted to him. Who would not chase after other gods. Who would not lead the people into idolatry. Who would not forget the God who had rescued them and given them a kingdom. Who would trust God when he needed him most.

He didn’t see a perfect man. He also saw a man who would get angry when he was insulted. A man who would lust after another man’s wife. Who would plot murder to get himself out of trouble. Who would be puffed up with pride in his own military accomplishments.

He saw a man who needed a Savior. And I’m glad for that, because I know that when the Lord looks at my heart, he sees the same thing. Maybe if God looked at outward appearances, I could figure out how to put myself together the right way so that I could impress him, but I can’t clean up my own heart. I try. And I fail most of the time. 

But I have Jesus. He gives me a new heart. A clean heart. The Lord looks at my heart and says, “Yeah, you need something better.” And he gives it. And for nothing more than that I trust him when I need him most. That I’m holding onto his promise that he can make my dirty heart clean. He did that for David. He does that for me.

The Lord looks at the heart. He doesn’t judge by outward appearances. He doesn’t even judge by inward appearances. He judges by Jesus, who gives us clean hearts.