God’s view of outward appearance is like Dove Soap – 1st Samuel 16, Part 2

We humans tend to be very outward focused.  Think about how our culture is fixated on outward appearance.  There is so much emphasis on having good skin, toned muscles, a certain Body Mass Index, dieting, working out.  No doubt some of that is also beneficial for good health and quality of life. But we can worship outward appearance. So where is the balance? Can we learn balance from God’s view on outward appearance? What is God’s view?

In our study this week of 1st Samuel chapter 16, we’re about to find out what God thinks about outward appearance. As we learned in the previous post, God has sent the prophet Samuel on a secret mission to the town of Bethlehem and the house of Jesse. There he is to anoint one of Jesse’s sons to be the next king of Israel.

In verse 6, Samuel meets the family.  “When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.’ 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.’”

In a future chapter we’ll learn that Eliab is the oldest of Jesse’s sons.  Samuel thinks, “Eliab must be the one I have come to anoint.”  But God says, “Do not consider his appearance or his height.”  Samuel seems to have a tendency to fixate on outer appearance and height.  As if that is all that is needed to be God’s pick.  Good looks, good frame.  That describes the first king Samuel anointed exactly.  King Saul was tall and handsome.  So God is essentially saying to Samuel, “Remember how that worked out for you last time? Remember Saul?  He was tall and handsome, but not a man after my own heart.  Saul looked good on the outside, but I look at the heart.” 

Here God reveals to us a bit about how he thinks.  When it comes to outward appearance God doesn’t think like humans think. God looks at the heart. And that reminds me of Dove Soap.

I’ve been impressed with Dove Soap and their Redefining Beauty campaign.  They say on their website, “Join us in challenging toxic beauty standards and creating a more inclusive definition of beauty.” Take a look for yourself:

It can feel like a tension trying not to overemphasize outward appearance while at the same not deemphasizing our health and appearance. 

The principle of “God looking at the heart” has led some people to conclude that we shouldn’t ever look at the outward appearance.  One way some people have talked about this is to be “colorblind,” that we shouldn’t see skin color, but we should only look at the heart.  It sounds like a great application of the principle, but the color is God-given, so we shouldn’t ignore it.  The variety of colors and features of human ethnic tendencies is a good thing.  Ethnic diversity is beautiful.

At my daughter’s graduation this past week, we got to see the beauty of ethnic diversity in full bloom.  There were as many students with the last name Torres as there was with the last name Stoltzfus.  There were as many students with African heritage as there were with European heritage.  Our school district has been reporting for years that our community has seen a shifting demographic, from white majority to a person of color majority.  This past year the district pie chart of ethnic diversity noted that we are 48% white and 52% persons of color.  I mentioned that a few weeks ago to a resident of a neighboring school district, and he was blown away because his community is not nearly as diverse as mine.

Diversity is a beautiful thing, and we should not be colorblind to it.

But as we embrace diversity, we should also look at the heart.  We should not judge people based on what we see outwardly.  Could be their skin color.  Could be their features.  Could be the way they talk.  Could be the way they dress.  Could be their age.   Could be their gender.  We should not pre-judge, or have prejudice. 

Samuel was having a case of prejudice.  He likes what he sees in Eliab.  But God says, “Samuel, you can’t see what I see.  There’s more to the story here.  Move on.  I’ve picked someone else.”

Thankfully, Jesse had more sons.  Here’s what happens in verses 8-11,

“Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, ‘The Lord has not chosen this one either.’ Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, ‘Nor has the Lord chosen this one.’ Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, ‘The Lord has not chosen these.’ So he asked Jesse, ‘Are these all the sons you have?’”

Do these guys know why Samuel is asking to see them?  There is no indication in the text that Samuel has revealed the purpose for his visit.  Yes, he was having a worship service, but has he told them that he is there to select the next king?  And would they be okay with that?  Like Samuel was (as we learned in the previous post), wouldn’t Jesse and his sons be concerned about Saul finding out? Was Samuel essentially bringing a heap of trouble to Jesse’s family?  

Could you imagine being told by Samuel, “I’m here to anoint you to be the next king because God has rejected King Saul, and you are going to be the next king.”?  I would be thinking, “Uh..does Saul know about this?  Is he okay with this?  Is he just going to relinquish his throne?  What about his sons?  Aren’t they next in line to the throne?  That Jonathan seems to be like a really great leader?  Why aren’t you picking him?” 

Or maybe they have no idea what Samuel’s deeper purpose is here.  Maybe when their father Jesse brings them out to meet Samuel one by one, they are just thinking they are going to assist Samuel with his prophetic or priestly work at this worship service.  Either way, Samuel is now saying out loud, “The Lord has not chosen this one. … And he hasn’t chosen this one either.”  And God denies all of the sons that Jesse brings before him. 

As these sons are rejected one by one, we are not told how Samuel knows the Lord hasn’t chosen them.  But he clearly knows.  Probably very similarly to how God spoke to him in verse 7, which seems to be not in an audible voice, but in Samuel’s thoughts, in his mind.

So Samuel runs through the oldest seven, and God chooses none of them.  If I’m Samuel I’m thinking, “What is going on, Lord?  Why did you send me here to Bethlehem to anoint the new king from Jesse’s family, but you’re not choosing any of them?  What is going on?”

Samuel’s about to find out. And so will we, in the next post.

Photo by Lal MAHAMMAD on Unsplash