God Chooses A New King

God Chooses a New King

Q: People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the _____.

• a. family
• b. intelligence
• c. heart

In the legend of King Arthur, only the rightful heir to the throne would be able to remove a sword that had been set in stone. When looking for a sword to use in a tournament, Arthur pulled the sword from the stone, much to the surprise of the onlookers. It proved he was the rightful heir to the throne, although he was an unlikely choice. God didn’t use a sword and a stone to let everyone know who the next king after Saul would be, but he did choose an unlikely candidate.

Saul had started out listening to God, but he stopped consulting God about decisions and about following his rules. So God rejected Saul as king.

Samuel went to Jesse’s home, where God said he’d find the next king. God told Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” God didn’t choose one of Jesse’s older sons who were tall and strong. He chose the youngest, David, who was only a shepherd boy at the time.

People sometimes quote “People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” to say it doesn’t matter what you wear or what kind of hairstyle you have, but that’s not exactly what this verse is about. God told Samuel not to look at a person’s size or age when choosing a king. Even though David was the youngest and smallest, he had a heart for God and was the chosen one.

For You

You don’t have to be tall, strong, handsome, or beautiful to be used by God. He looks at what’s in your heart. What does God see when he searches your heart?

Answer: c

The LORD said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”   1 Samuel 16:7

(The Whole Story: 1 Samuel 15:1–16:13)