Saturday,
August 8, 2026
1 Sam
16:6-12
6 And it came to pass, when they were
come, that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD's anointed is before
him.
7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look
not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused
him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward
appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made
him pass before Samuel. And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this.
9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by.
And he said, Neither hath the LORD chosen this. 10 Again, Jesse made seven of
his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not
chosen these. 11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he
said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And
Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he
come hither. 12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal
of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise,
anoint him: for this is he.
When the sons of Jesse passed
in parade there
were some pretty boys in the company. Eliab, the eldest was probably
presented not only first but privately, ahead of the others. He must have been
quite a specimen because Samuel concluded he must be the very chosen of God.
But God doesn’t see as men.
Dr. Mark Wessel observes this about God’s choices for
His twelve apostles: “It was a strange group of men our Lord chose to be his
disciples. Four of them were fishermen, one a hated tax collector, another a
member of a radical and violent political party … all were laymen … Yet it was
with these men that Jesus … disseminated his good news to the end of the
earth.” (The Expositors Bible Commentary, volume 8, page 643)
Tradition says that Paul was a short man with an
oozing eye disease. Paul comments on his own appearance in the following verse
in which the word tapeinos is rendered “base” and signifies lowly or short of
stature.
2 Cor
10:1
10:1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by
the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you,
but being absent am bold toward you:
Little, red faced, David was the last son that Jesse
considered to be of kingly quality, but God did not look on his outward
appearance. His heart was ready for a crown!
Dear Lord, I am neither tall nor
handsome by most appraisals. Let me instead have a courageous heart and a
beautiful spirit. Let me be pleasing in your sight. AMEN
