God sees your heart

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)

Christmas is a memorable holiday for my family. We savor our gifts – all the way down to the wrapping paper. Some of the gift-wrap is so exceptional that we often take great strides to open packages carefully enough that we can reuse them again. This year, my brother, fully aware of this custom, started opening presents with an exaggerated response of, “My, what lovely paper! Wherever did you find it?” As we all laughed, I repeated his phrase with each new package opened. 

Over time, this theme became a bit of a calling card for me. Throughout my life, appreciation has formed the foundation for my being. I’ve often told others, “I appreciate life, all the way down to the wrapping paper.” I notice the littlest things God created – from the various hues that color the sky at sunset to the intricate patterns in flowers and the chattering noises that squirrels make when they chase each other in trees. Such things always make me smile. 

But what do I see when I look in the mirror? Too often, I judge myself harshly. I worry that my hair seldom looks the way I want it to or that my frequent smiles have left permanent crinkles around my eyes. Deeper still, I compare myself to others in fear that I can never measure up to the beauty, intellect, and expertise I see in them. Society has convinced women, in particular, that we can never be too thin, too fit, or perfect enough to compare with the standards we see in movies, television, and magazines. 

God’s standards, however, are quite different than ours. He created everything to be exactly the way He wants it to be – from the intricate markings on colorful parrots to the skeleton-less blobfish – and He doesn’t worry about our wrapping paper. He perceives our innermost being then considers our character and conviction to be of far greater value than anything the world may judge us by.

When God sent the prophet Samuel to anoint the next King of Israel, Samuel saw Jesse’s oldest sons’ strength and appearance and felt confident that one of these young men would be selected by His Creator. Samuel, however, held a perception of what a king should look like that was far different than God’s.

God wasn’t impressed by the physical traits of these eight men and considered only their hearts – hearts He knew were far from Him. It wasn’t until Jesse brought his youngest son, David, to meet with the prophet that God directed Samuel to mark David with His favor. “The Lord said, ‘Arise, anoint him, for this is the one!'” (1 Samuel 16:12).

God saw past David’s ruddy complexion and simple, shepherding profession to the soul of one who sought only to honor and worship his Creator. David is referred to as a “man after [God’s] own heart” (Samuel 13:14) – not because of his appearance, but because of his faith. 

As we move into a new year, it is my greatest prayer that God will see my heart and guide me in the path that I should follow. I continually strive to let go of worldly expectations and remember that it is only my Creator’s perception that matters. After all, it is not my wrapping paper that God sees, but my heart of compassion and service. 

Each of us has but one life to give to our Creator. Our most significant accomplishments are those we enact for His benefit. May we all live our lives in light of that truth and never forget to love, honor, and worship Him in the days, months, and years ahead.

God sees your heart, beloved. Use it for His service.