But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. –1 Samuel 16:7 NIV
Have you ever noticed that the most important things in life are often the least impressive? For example, you see a friend you haven’t seen in ages, and you notice that the person has lost weight. You immediately say, “Wow, you look great! How much weight have you lost?” It’s a big accomplishment. You’re impressed, and the person is encouraged by your compliment. However, losing weight is temporary.Now, what about the friend we run into who has made a huge life change? For example, the person has forgiven someone of a huge hurt, and let go of bitterness, jealousy, or anger. Perhaps the friend has overcome an addiction to drugs, alcohol, or pornography. The person made a spiritual change that we can’t always see, yet affects many people. We rarely acknowledge those changes even if we do notice them. We’re not as impressed as seeing someone who wears a smaller shirt size.Wisdom gives us the ability to see past the temporal to the spiritual. It helps us see what really matters in the totality of life. We’re not impressed by people, but we’re impressed by what God does through people. Encourage others in their journey of pursuing what’s really impressive in this life. It brings a great reward.
Let your eyes see the hidden parts of people’s hearts, not just their outward appearance.
Focus on what’s truly important in life; don’t be led astray by distractions.