The Appearance of My Heart

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 

“But he LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE a king should look!” These are the words I {Melissa} imagine racing through Samuel’s mind – even if just for a second – when the Lord tells him that Jesse’s son, Eliab, is not the choice to take Saul’s place on the throne.

I understand the appearance trap all too well because it’s so easy for me to fall into it – to make a judgement about the worth or purpose of something or someone based solely on looks. I’m not only guilty of making assumptions about people based on their appearances, but, even more, I am guilty of assuming that people make assumptions about me based only on what they see. So much so that I often worry about what people think about me and will go to great lengths to depict just the right image in order to earn someone’s approval.

“People look at the outward appearance …”

In fact, in just the past few minutes I have already caught myself overly concerned that the clothes my kids are wearing to church (that they have already worn three days in a row) reflects my inability as a parent, that the ever-so-faint trail of dog hair on the kitchen floor that the Swiffer missed yesterday suggests that I am not good at caretaking (and let’s not even discuss hospitality), and that even though I may look “together” on the outside, I don’t really have anything together.
I find myself equating my self worth with my outward appearance, rather than drawing my self worth from what God believes about me and whether my actions are glorifying him.

“… but the Lord looks at the heart …”

God chose David because He could see that his heart was pure. David may not have looked the part to any one else, but God could see past what everyone else could see – that David was a man after God’s own heart.

So, then, does appearance matter? 

Yes. But it matters only when I am consumed with the appearance of my heart. It matters when in my quest for the “perfect appearance,” I am only focused on how I can reflect my love for the Lord above all else.

So this week, I’m challenging myself, and I’m inviting you to join me. 

Each time I find myself wondering, “How does this make me look?” (and trust me, there will be many of these times!), I’m daring myself to examine my heart more closely.

What’s my motive? Will my words or actions bring glory to God? Could someone from the outside looking in make the conclusion that I am a woman after God’s own heart, simply based on my appearance? Because that's what I want more than anything.

Heavenly Father, more than anything, I long to be a woman after Your own heart. Will you reveal to me what You see in my appearance and help me become consumed with the appearance of my own heart? Help me to see past what the world sees and guide me toward the paths that will ultimately bring glory to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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