1 Samuel 16:7b (NKJV)
"For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
I remember growing up reading the above verse almost every day. It was on a poster hanging on the wall of my bedroom. I have chewed and chewed on these words and have meditated so much on them. I believe they contain great insight to what God is like...
He is definitely different from us. He is far above and He stands alone. There is none like Him. This is why He is called “holy”. God is not like us at all.
Looking at the outward appearance of people is part of our human nature. We form our opinion of somebody on the way they look, on what they wear, how good looking they are, the colour of their skin, how educated they seem to be... We do it all the time, consciously or unconsciously.
But unfortunately for us, looks can be very deceiving. Behind great looks and a great personality can hide wrong motives and an evil heart. We can be fooled by people putting on a show, but God never is...
And the reason God selected king David is not because of his handsome appearance, but because of his heart. He was not perfect, but he had the humble heart of a shepherd. When he fell into sin, he would not pretend, but cry out to God to purify his heart.
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)
Nothing is hidden from the Lord. He goes right to the heart and sees any sin, bitterness, jealousy or rebellion we may try to hide. This is why He sent Jesus – so that our hearts could be cleansed and purified. Nothing else but his blood has the power to clean us on the inside.
God is full of mercy and brings freedom to those who do not hide their sins, but acknowledge and forsake them.
When the Holy Spirit highlights a sin in our life and convicts us, let us take heed! Let us not make excuses but make sure we confess and turn away from it. Let us allow the blood of Jesus to wash us from it in the depths of our heart. So when God looks our way, He will see a clean heart, a pure heart that is free to serve Him.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8)