God's Glory Church

“A man looks at the face, but the Lord looks at the heart.” — 1 Samuel 16:7

To reduce food waste, a supermarket chain in Singapore is selling slightly damaged fruits and vegetables at lower prices. Over the course of a year, this initiative made it possible to save more than 771,000 kg of products that would previously have been thrown away due to non-compliance with aesthetic standards. Buyers quickly realized that the appearance with certain flaws does not affect the taste and nutritional value. What is outside does not always determine what is inside.

The prophet Samuel learned a similar lesson when he was sent by God to anoint the next king of Israel (1 Sam. 16:1). Seeing Eliava, Jesse’s firstborn, Samuel thought that he was the chosen one. However, God said: “Do not look at his face and at the height of his stature… for a man looks at the face, but the Lord looks at the heart” (v. 7). Of Jesse’s eight sons, God chose the youngest, David, who tended his father’s sheep (v. 11), to become the next king.

God is more concerned with our hearts than with outward signs—the school we attended, how much we earn, or how much we volunteer. Jesus taught His disciples to focus on purifying their hearts from selfish and evil thoughts, because “what comes out of a person defiles a person” (Mark 7:20). So, just as Samuel learned not to pay attention to outward appearances, so we, with God’s help, examine our hearts, our thoughts and intentions in everything we do.

When have you done a “good deed” for the wrong reasons? How to be sure of the purity of your heart?

Dear God, please help me to do only what glorifies You.

Author: Jasmin Goh