Reading: 1 Samuel 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a. Saul didn’t work out, not at all. For one thing, he wasn’t, shall we say, well balanced. For another, when given the opportunity to do so, he had not put God first, and the nation of Israel was in bad shape. God said that it was time for a change, and it was as if Saul had never been king. God bypassed him altogether; Saul had no say whatsoever in leaving his throne or in naming his successor. Saul sat passively and helplessly by while the events of his undoing took place before his eyes.

God brought old Samuel out of retirement to tap another king – Samuel complaining all the while. “No disrespect, God, but I’ve served my time. What’s more, if you don’t mind my saying so, my record in choosing kings for you isn’t exactly encouraging. Look at the job Saul has done; he’s not a bad guy, really, but he has turned out to be a rotten king. And if he hears that I’m out on a recruiting trip for a new king, he will kill me. He will have no patience with me; Saul will be furious with me even if I tell him that I am simply doing your will. He will have me killed.”

“Samuel, you are the one who must serve me in this way. Now get on with it. I have already chosen Israel’s next king, and I promise you that it’s going to work this time. All you need to do is to pack up your things for the trip, fill your horn with oil for the anointing, and go to the house of Jesse the Bethlehemite.”

“Retirement’s not so bad; I’d really rather not have things end right now. I’m sure you understand. God, why don’t you get a younger man to anoint the next king? Maybe he will better hear you. Maybe he will do an improved job of finding the man whom your people need as their leader.”

“Samuel,” God said, “this is the only way you can redeem yourself. Now go!”

Old bones creaking and strength long since waned, Samuel loaded up his pack mule and with his assistant headed to Bethlehem. Once there, Samuel went straight to Jesse’s home and told him that he needed to see his sons. One by one, they came and stood before Samuel. The first son, Eliab, had king written all over his face. Samuel was ready to break out the anointing oil and have this job done, but God said, “No, Samuel. Keep looking.” So the other sons came, but Samuel didn’t get the signals from God that either would be the next king of Israel.

Frustrated, Samuel said to Jesse, “Is this all? I’ve seen all your sons?”

“For practical purposes, yes sir, you have.”

“I don’t get it,” Samuel complained. “Something’s wrong somewhere. I knew I should be here.”

“Sir,” Jesse said to Samuel, “I do have one other son, my youngest, who is out in the field tending the sheep, but he is too young to take on any major responsibility. He’s just a boy.”

“Let me see him,” Samuel insisted.

David came and stood before the old prophet who, in spite of himself, still had the vision to see the hand of God at work.

Source: Storyteller’s Companion to the Bible

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WHAT GOD SEES!

At age thirteen, while on vacation with her family, actress Betty Davis had her first crush. Each day, she walked to the drugstore and sat at the counter, looking at the handsome young man. He was the first boy she kissed. When summer ended, the family left, and she never saw him again.

Fifty years later, while doing a show in Boston, she heard again: “Do you want a soda?” and instantly knew the voice. She invited him backstage. “I was so nervous waiting for him,” she remembered. “When he came into my dressing room, I didn’t recognize him. There stood this little old, old man, the person I had loved so madly long ago. Maybe that’s my biggest regret – not that I remembered his voice but that, fifty years later, I asked to see him again. In seeing the man, I lost the first boy I ever loved.”

It seems to be a commonly unavoidable mistake for all of us to judge by what we see. We appraise by first impression, for it is said, “First impressions are the most lasting.” We form conclusions on the basis of outward appearances. God knows our tendency to make such judgment. That is why he warns us consistently against it.

God told Samuel when he was about to anoint the wrong man as king: “Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance, but the Lord looks into the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7).

As God warned the old prophet, so does God warn us, for we tend to judge as how Samuel judged. We look at some guy’s build, or his tailored suit, or his luxury car, or his track record of accomplishments, and compare ourselves. We find ourselves wishing we could have what he has, or do what he does, or speak like he speaks, or make money like he makes money. But we never know what is happening on the inside? We can’t see into a man’s character, the way God sees. For God does not see the way mankind sees. Man uses his eyes and sees only the outward appearance a person wants him to see. But the Lord can’t be fooled because he can look into the heart.

This is a letter entitled: If Men Had Chosen the Apostles

TO: Jesus, Son of Joseph Woodcrafters Carpenter Shop Nazareth 25922

FROM: Jordan Management Consultants Jerusalem 26544

Dear Sir: Thank you for submitting the résumés of the twelve men you have picked for management positions in your new organization. All of them have not taken our battery of tests; and we have not only run the results through our computer, but also arranged personal interviews for each of them with our psychologist and vocational aptitude consultant. The profiles of all tests are included, and you will want to study each of them carefully.

As part of our service and for your guidance, we make some general comments, much as an auditor will include some general statements. This is given as a result of staff consultation and comes without any additional fee. It is the staff opinion that most of your nominees are lacking in background, education and vocational aptitude for the type of enterprise you are undertaking. They do not have team concept.

Simon Peter is emotionally unstable and given to fits of temper. Andrew has absolutely no qualities of leadership. The two brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, place personal interest above company loyalty. Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine morale. We feel that it is our duty to tell you that Matthew has been blacklisted by the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau. James, the son of Alpheaus, and Thaddaeus definitely have radical leanings, and they both registered a high score on the manic-depressive scale.

One of the candidates, however, shows great potential. He is a man of ability and resourcefulness, meets people well, has a keen business mind and has contacts in high places. He is highly motivated, ambitious and responsible. We recommend Judas Iscariot as your comptroller and right-hand man. All the other profiles are self-explanatory. We wish you every success in your new venture.

Sincerely Yours,

Jordan Management Committee

But you see! The Scriptures can prove to us how well the eleven apostles did and how terribly Judas Iscariot performed!

God chose a small David over his well-built brothers to be anointed to become king of Israel, because God could see through the heart of David. Through failure, anarchy, adversity, and challenge, David’s heart was bent toward God. When he sinned, he repented and asked God’s forgiveness. When he was helpless and in distress, he called out to God for help.  

Scripture and history of the Church demonstrate an obvious point that many unattractive people have been greatly used by God. They have not been handsome or eloquent or brilliant. What they did have was a radiance, a joy, an enthusiasm that was born of the Spirit of God. These were men and women whose hearts were committed to God and to doing his will. They had discovered the reward of keeping their eyes on Jesus rather than on themselves and they drew their wisdom, strength, and power from his inexhaustible resources instead of their own weaknesses.

God is more concerned with the heart rather than the performance. This gives hope and inspiration to any man or woman who wants to be used by God. God’s requirement is a pure heart, a hunger and thirst to know and serve him without consideration of reward. Whoever we are, God can and will use us in an eternal, meaningful way if we maintain childlike faith and dependence on him. That is his primary requirement for spiritual greatness.

Rev. Linh N. Nguyen