1 Samuel 16:7 (NKJV) But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
We spend a great deal of our time looking at people from the outside but we do not really know who they are on the inside. We do not know how or what they are thinking. Sometimes we can’t tell by looking at a person whether or not they love Jesus. In fact, it is difficult to tell if someone you interviewed for a job is the right fit in your group.
A sincere lover of God will seek to please Him at all times. The motive of his or her actions would be aimed at pleasing the Lord. As the Lord Jesus Christ, every believer should be able to say that " for I do always those things that please him." But today, a great deal of our time is spent on efforts to please others- our spouse, employers, relatives, friends and society for our anticipated personal gains; and without considering how our actions affect our relationship with God. Our selfish desire to gain human approval must give way to the need to do that which is acceptable and pleasing to God. We look on the outside of people and make judgments that are many times wrong. God never looks at the outside. God looks at the inside. He looks at the heart.
A while ago I came across a great illustration that sums up this verse beautifully. It refers to the 12 disciples of Jesus.
To: Jesus, Son of Joseph
Woodcrafter’s Carpenter Shop
Nazareth 25922
From: Jordan Management Consultants
Dear Sir:
Thank you for submitting the resumes of the twelve men you have picked for managerial positions in your new organization. All of them have now 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, we make some general comments for your guidance. This additional insight is given as a result of staff consultation, and comes without any additional fees.
It is our 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 the team concept. We would recommend that you continue your search for persons of experience in managerial ability and proven capability.
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 had been blacklisted by the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus definitely has 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 controller and right-hand man. All of the other profiles are self-explanatory.
We wish you every success in your new venture.
Sincerely,
Jordan Management Consultants
For those of you reading this and not knowing who Judas Iscariot was, well, he is the Disciple who betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. As you can see in this illustration, even the "experts" cannot tell what goes on in a person’s life and whom you can trust-only the Lord knows. You see the Bible tells us that Jesus knows even our motivation and most of the time we are not aware of what motivates us to say and do things we do.
As we start this New Year, ask the LORD to search your heart like the Psalmist did in Psalm 139 when he said: "Seach me, O GOD, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"
We spend a great deal of our time looking at people from the outside but we do not really know who they are on the inside. We do not know how or what they are thinking. Sometimes we can’t tell by looking at a person whether or not they love Jesus. In fact, it is difficult to tell if someone you interviewed for a job is the right fit in your group.
A sincere lover of God will seek to please Him at all times. The motive of his or her actions would be aimed at pleasing the Lord. As the Lord Jesus Christ, every believer should be able to say that " for I do always those things that please him." But today, a great deal of our time is spent on efforts to please others- our spouse, employers, relatives, friends and society for our anticipated personal gains; and without considering how our actions affect our relationship with God. Our selfish desire to gain human approval must give way to the need to do that which is acceptable and pleasing to God. We look on the outside of people and make judgments that are many times wrong. God never looks at the outside. God looks at the inside. He looks at the heart.
A while ago I came across a great illustration that sums up this verse beautifully. It refers to the 12 disciples of Jesus.
To: Jesus, Son of Joseph
Woodcrafter’s Carpenter Shop
Nazareth 25922
From: Jordan Management Consultants
Dear Sir:
Thank you for submitting the resumes of the twelve men you have picked for managerial positions in your new organization. All of them have now 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, we make some general comments for your guidance. This additional insight is given as a result of staff consultation, and comes without any additional fees.
It is our 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 the team concept. We would recommend that you continue your search for persons of experience in managerial ability and proven capability.
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 had been blacklisted by the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus definitely has 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 controller and right-hand man. All of the other profiles are self-explanatory.
We wish you every success in your new venture.
Sincerely,
Jordan Management Consultants
For those of you reading this and not knowing who Judas Iscariot was, well, he is the Disciple who betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. As you can see in this illustration, even the "experts" cannot tell what goes on in a person’s life and whom you can trust-only the Lord knows. You see the Bible tells us that Jesus knows even our motivation and most of the time we are not aware of what motivates us to say and do things we do.
As we start this New Year, ask the LORD to search your heart like the Psalmist did in Psalm 139 when he said: "Seach me, O GOD, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"
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