Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Oh, the Heart...

1 Samuel 16:7 

“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 man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
Why is this such a hard concept to grasp? I don’t know very many people who don’t struggle with this reality on a daily basis. We don’t have to be obsessed with self to forget the importance of a clean heart. We don’t have to be overly vain or self-centered to fool ourselves into thinking the condition of our heart is under lock and key – not visible to God or anyone else.

God looks at our heart because He knows therein lies our true self. The condition of that vital “organ” is the barometer for everything else we do and say. If it is covered with layers of fear, bitterness, unforgiveness, jealousy or even indifference, the heart will be uglier than any imaginable disfigurement of our outward appearance.

When beauty, youth and robustness are the standards we use to measure our value or someone else’s value, we are dangerously missing the mark. I say dangerous because when we are distracted from the true measure of a man, we cannot meet their needs. We may miss what God is calling us to do in and for the world.

Pray every day for the eyes of discernment – the eyes that see others as God sees them. And even to see our own hearts for the condition they are in. Only then can we effectively make an eternal difference.


4 comments:

  1. Hi Jan,
    I've been thinking similar thoughts this week, after a study which touched on our Lord Jesus' appearance, which by worldly standards was not attractive at all. And yet I want to be like Him, to have His heart and follow His example. Thanks for echoing this deep truth.
    Blessings
    Dotti :)

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  2. Hi Dorothy,
    Sometimes I wish we knew more details about Jesus' appearance and mannerisms. But I think we all have our own picture in our minds....it's an interesting thought. And yes, you are so right about following His example and heart!
    Blessings!

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  3. The heart . . . wow Jesus taught it was the root of everything within us. I have to be reminded to humble myself and surrender my heart every day . . . mainly because "the heart is deceitful above all things!" Jeremiah 17:9 Praying that God will break my heart for what breaks His.
    Blessings to you sister!
    Cherie

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