Sunday Scripture

 

For this week's Sunday Scripture series, I'm returning to my simple study of a little devotional journal titled Reflections: The Woman God Sees, by Jane L. Fryar -- a journal gifted me by some dear young friends.   It has a daily devotional one works through -- about a month's worth or so.  The daily devotions were a blessing to me when I worked through the book, so up through November I had been sharing them here.  Then I switched to something more seasonal for December and now -- for a few weeks at least -- I am back to these again.  We will see!

The Scripture for today is 1 Samuel 16:7.   Here's the assignment: "When you evaluate others, when are you most likely to focus only on their 'outward appearance"?  Why might you want to change that practice?  How can you change your focus?"  I chose to SOAP 1 Samuel 16:6-7 as I considered this assignment.

S= "And it came to pass,  when they were come, that [Samuel] looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD's anointed is before Him.  But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, nor 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."  (1 Samuel 16:6-7)

O= This is the incident where God sends Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint a new king in place of Saul.  He has told Samuel that His choice of king will be found among the sons of Jesse. Yet as these young men begin to pass before Samuel, God has to remind him that His choice may not be the most obvious one -- not to look on his height or appearance, because God looks on the heart.

Cross-reference for "Look not" -- 

"[The LORD] delighteth not in the strength of the horse; He taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man."  (Psalm 147:10)

Cross-reference for "the LORD seeth" --

"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."  (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Cross-references for "outward appearance" --

 "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."  (John 7:24)

"Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."  (Matthew 23:28)

Cross-reference for "heart" --

"Give to every man according to his ways, whose heart Thou knowest (for Thou, even Thou only, knowest the heart of all the children of men."  (1 Kings 8:39) -- This was a prayer uttered by Solomon.

A= In answer to the questions "When you evaluate others, when are you most likely to focus only on their 'outward appearance"?  Why might you want to change that practice?  How can you change your focus?", I wrote: 

I seldom look closely at someone's physical appearance -- usually only if it's extremely eye-catching for some reason.  But I think the "outward appearance" I would tend to focus on would have to do more with a person's actions and words.  Of course, only God can see their hearts.  So all I really have to go on is the outward.  I tend to notice whether a believer's words and actions line up with God's Word and if they are consistent.  

For me the problem comes when I try to second-guess people's motives for their words and actions.  I tend to jump to conclusions, forgetting that only God knows their hearts and that He can be counted on to deal with them accordingly.  The tendency to jump to conclusions is one that I pray about on a regular basis.

I find it very comforting to be reminded that God knows each one of our hearts.  It might be somewhat scary as well, but I  personally find it comforting.

P= "Lord, I'm so grateful that You know the hearts of all people.  You will never misjudge anyone, but will always judge righteously.  I pray that You will continue to help me with the bad habit of jumping to conclusions.  Help my own words and actions to line up with Your Word as they should.  I praise You for all You will do, in Jesus' name, Amen."

And there is the Sunday Scripture for this week!  I hope it was a blessing.