1 Samuel 16:1-13

This account of the prophet Samuel choosing someone to replace the discredited King Saul is one of those great stories of the Bible. It is vivid, and powerful, and its timeless message still holds up very well even after thousands of years. But it still surprises me how the focus of a Scripture passage can change for you, based on your life, what you’ve been reading lately, where God has been leading you, things that have been happening to you - things like that. 

You know what I mean? Suddenly, so often, you’ll see something in even the most familiar passages that you never saw before. And it will just seem to fit in with other things that you’ve been seeing and thinking about. And you realize again, “Wow, this is truly the living Word of God.” Well, I hope that is what will happen among us here today as we think once again about this ancient yet familiar story.

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Can you picture Samuel with his ‘entourage’ arriving at the gate of Bethlehem? He’s thinking about the solemn mission that lay before him. He is leading a heifer for a sacrifice, he is carrying a horn full of oil. He’s planning to pour it on the head of the one that the Lord God would point to him; the one designated to be the next king of Israel. 

And let’s not forget, Samuel himself is a powerful figure – he is a warrior in his own right, and as a prophet, the power of Almighty God accompanied his words. So it’s no wonder that the leaders of the town trembled when he arrived. He has to say to them, “Don’t worry! I come in peace.” He invites a man named Jesse to bring his family and join him at the sacrifice. (God had revealed to Samuel that the next king would come from Jesse’s family.) 

They arrive and Samuel looks them over. And his eye immediately is drawn to one of Jesse’s sons – a man named Eliab. A big man with a big name (see, Eliab means “God is my father”.) 

He apparently was an imposing figure, because Samuel’s first response, just by looking at him, was to assume that he was the one (“Surely the Lord's anointed stands here before the Lord” thought Samuel.) 

Now, remember that Samuel was no slouch in the imposing department himself, having already intimidated all the Bethlehem leaders, so Eliab must have been quite a sight! The Lord’s rebuke of Samuel indicates that Eliab must have been very tall, and good looking. So God has to tell Samuel to think again, this wasn’t the one. [Which may explain some of my personal delight in this story over the years!] 

And God adds this wonderful line of explanation: "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things human beings look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 

Those words may have been spoken nearly 3,000 years ago, but human character apparently hasn’t changed at all since then, has it? The fact is that humans still look on outward appearances more than anything else. Humans value (and devalue) other humans based quite a bit on outward criteria alone: (I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know). A person’s looks, their weight, their clothes, their money, their possessions, their achievements, and on and on, these things really matter to us (i.e., humans). 

And I don’t think I need to give a lot of examples for you to be able to get where I’m coming from… from campaigning politicians whose advisors at times seem to care more about their candidate ‘looking presidential’ than actually doing something, or stating a position (because that’s what people want - appearances), to our almost unbelievable cultural fixation on our looks…and our constant dissatisfaction with our appearances. 

Listen to this: A Fitness magazine poll of 1,000 women reported just a few weeks ago, found that many women would be willing to take some drastic steps to reach their ideal weight:

• Twenty-three percent would spend a week in jail.

• Twenty-one percent would trade ten years of their life.[1]

And it’s not just women! We Americans spend $8 billion a year on cosmetics…$30 Billion dollars a year on the diet industry.[2]  From elections, to promotions on the job, to friendships, to advertising; yes, Samuel, people look at the outward appearance… 

So, the Lord looks at the heart. What does that mean to us?

In the past, I’ve looked at this passage as a reminder of what is without a doubt an important value in the Scripture: that we should be careful as believers in Christ that we not do what Samuel almost did, that we don’t fall into the trap of rejecting someone or excluding someone (or accepting someone) based on their skin color, or place of national origin, or their wealth. Something like James warned about in James 2 – about honoring people within the faith community because they are dressed well, while ignoring the poor. 

And, again, I still think that this is an important lesson from this passage. Just to be reminded that a person’s character is not necessarily obvious by what we see from the ‘packaging’. 

But as I thought and prayed about this passage this week, something else came to my mind. It had to do with the word ‘people’ in verse 7. “The Lord does not look at the things human beings look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 

What struck me, was that ‘people’ not only look at and judge others, often, on the basis of outward, external values, but (maybe even more viciously) people do the same thing to… themselves. 

I shared with you that I’ve been listening to some lectures by Brennan Manning recently. I’ve also picked up a few of his books, and while he has a very simple message and a sometimes rough delivery, he makes a number of profound – potentially life altering – statements. And they start to sink into your soul after awhile.

Like this one, which he repeats rather frequently: “God loves you as you are, not as you should be. Because there is no one in this room who is as they should be.” 

None of us are presently completely what God had in mind for us when we were created. None of us.  We are all a mixed up mess of good deeds and stupid mistakes… of lofty thoughts and petty impulses… a mixture of joyful obedience and Peter-like denials of everything we claim to love and cherish. All of us. 

I think that part of Christian maturity is to come to the realization of the Apostle Paul, who lamented in Romans chapter seven his inability to consistently behave the way he knew he should. [¹⁵ I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate… ²¹ I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.] 

If you think you’re not in this boat with the rest of us, I say to you, with love, you need to spend more quiet time with God, so your heart can be revealed. (If you think that I am in some different category than you, then you simply don’t know me very well.) 

But so many of us, as we start to realize this ugly truth about ourselves, deal with it by diversion. Like, making promises to God,  – “I’m going to change…I’ll try harder… Next time will be better, you wait and see…”, or denial “I’m just not going to think about it”… “At least I’m not as bad as _Pastor Steve__”, or simply by running away from God. “Who needs church, anyway?” 

Why is that? Possibly, because, like Samuel, we are looking at, we are judging ourselves based on the outside only… we see the sins. We see the mistakes, the inconsistencies… the broken promises, the failures to reach our potential again and again. We know we disappoint others, we know we disappoint God, but we disappoint ourselves even more. And somehow we are convinced that God is sitting out ‘there’, frowning, shaking his Holy Head, thinking, “What a waste. You are such a mess! Get away from me!” 

See, that’s what hit me in this story as I read it again this week. That not only do people judge others by what’s on the outside, we do the same thing to ourselves. And we assume that God sees us as we see others… God looks at us in the same way that we look at ourselves.  But I don’t think that is true! Not at all. 

See, the Scripture tells me that there is nothing that can get between me and God’s love. Nothing created, nothing in the past, nothing in the future. Nothing… can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. [God loves you as you are, not as you should be. Because there is no one here who is as they should be. Not yet.] God’s love is not based on our performance… 

In the book of Romans, and again in the letter to the Galatians, Paul uses a very significant word picture to describe the difference between the people of the Old Covenant and New Covenant people. I.e., people who are living under Law verses those living under Grace. People who are trying to earn God’s love and acceptance instead of receiving it as a gift of amazing Grace. 

Romans 8: 15 - 16

“So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.” 

A very similar passage is found in Galatians 4: 4 - 7

But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law.  God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. 

These pictures set up a powerful and revealing contrast between slaves and sons. Servants and children.  And his point, since he is talking in both cases to disciples of Jesus Christ – believers, Christians – is that there are some within the Body of Christ who don’t realize who they are.  We are children of God through the Grace of Jesus Christ. We have been adopted into the household of God, not by our works but because we simply received a gift from God. Because we believed that we are loved, we are God’s children.

And yet, some are living not as children, but as slaves. A slave is only welcome into the household when they are working. And they are only as loved as deeply as their last successful task. They are in a precarious position of trying to make sure that they don’t forget about something they are supposed to do, because that will earn the wrath of the Master. 

Now, I’ve never lived in a household that employed domestic servants, and don’t expect I ever will. But I’ve read enough books and have seen enough TV to be able to picture a rich family living in a great mansion. Can you see this, too?  OK, imagine that it’s dinnertime at the Estate. And all the people start to gather in the huge fancy dining room. The table is set: exquisite China, silver service, fresh flowers, great smells, bread, rolls … some classy music playing in the background. Everyone is converging on this one huge room. 

OK? Now imagine that this is God’s table.  God is the Host. It’s the Great Banquet of Jesus’ parable. But in that room the gathered people start to separate. Some sit down and enjoy the ambiance and look over the menu, and have conversation with those around them. They’re thrilled to be there. They are full of joy. But others pick up trays and start serving, pouring, filling glasses, ladling soup, cleaning up messes and spills.  See, the ones at the table are the family members. The rest are the help. The Servants. 

Now, don’t miss the point of this analogy – because as believers in Christ we know have been sent into the world as servants. But this picture is not representing the world; it is God’s table. There is a difference, and it is what Paul is referring to as well as Jesus in his banquet parable. So, where are you in this picture? 

Are you one of the children or a servant? Do you – bottom line – believe that God’s love and acceptance of you is conditional (somehow based on your obedience, your perfection?) or do you really believe the promises of God – that there is a seat at this table for you? For you? Because you are part of the family. You’re one of the kids. You belong here. 

This kind of teaching tends to make some people feel really uncomfortable. And the objections soon start: “Well, I think that what we do does matter!”  “I think God cares – and cares a lot – about our behavior, and our thoughts, etc.”.  Well, of course he does!  But none of that is the basis of our acceptance! That’s the Gospel! That’s the Good News! 

I’ve come to be very convinced over the years that the best motivator to right living is not fear, but is knowing that we are loved without condition. Manning gives an illustration from his own experience here, that I really like. He remembers when he was younger, he was dating a woman, and knew that they were in love. He was smitten, and so was she! 

So, he saved up his hard earned money, what little he had, and took this woman on a date to an expensive restaurant, where they had a meal together. And afterwards, he asked her, “Did you have a good time?” And her response to him was… “Well the food was good… but the date… Brennan, you have the table manners of a Barbarian. You talk with your mouth full, you stuff food in your mouth like every bite is going to be your last, you were rude to the waiters… the whole experience was disturbing to me.”  And you know what his response was?  He said, “I was so happy that she said this to me.”  Happy!  Why? 

Because he loved her, and his deepest desire was to please her. And now he knew some specific ways that he could do that.  But he wasn’t going to try to learn some table etiquette to earn her love. He already had that, he was going to make a real effort at some changes in the context of being loved already.  And it made all the difference. 

I went to seminary, as many do, as an idealistic relatively new believer who thought I knew a lot more than I did. And one area that I struggled with, as a candidate for ministry in the UM Church was the area of infant baptism.  I thought that you could make a much stronger Biblical case for believer’s baptism (which we also practice) but to the exclusion of infant baptism. 

But I started to learn about the theology behind this sacrament; about it’s connection to the Old Testament rite of circumcision and the wonderful symbolism in infant baptism of the Biblical teaching that our response to God is always preceded by God first reaching out to us. We only love because God first loved us.  As the young men in the nation of Israel were marked as members of that clan before they could make any reasoned decisions or choice for themselves, in Baptism we do a very similar thing: we say to a child, “This is who you are. You have been marked as ‘one of us’ – you are God’s child.” 

There will come a time when every baptized child has to accept or reject for themselves what was done for them in this sacrament. But I remember the day when I had the honor of placing my hands on both our son and daughter in their Confirmation. Those were powerful moments, as I realized that our prayers, our teachings, in spite of our inconsistencies were bearing fruit – “They got it!”  They know who they are. 

I believe that obedience is much easier in a context of knowing that we are loved than simply in trying to follow rules, or trying to earn God’s acceptance by our behavior. 

God said to Samuel – “Don’t pay so much attention to what’s on the outside. I’m much more interested in the heart.”  And I think God is saying the same thing to me, and to you. ‘Ok, so you’re not perfect. Don’t you think I know that already? But I see your heart, too. I know you love me. And more than anything else, I want you to know that I love you, too.” 

“And I always will.” 

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