I know that if you have children you are guilty of using the following expression and if you are not guilty of using it you have heard it: "You only get one chance to make a first impression." It is true, tragic but true. We only get one chance to make a first impression and what is even worse is that we often form our judgment of a person on that one impression. We do not allow ourselves a chance to form a second or third impression. We have our criteria for evaluating a person and it is often from external appearances. Christians are not immune from this. We are often guilty of making assumptions about people by the way they dress, look, etc. James warns the church about making a distinction between rich and poor visitors of the congregations.
We have a friend who visited a new church in her neighborhood one Sunday when a snowstorm made it impossible for her to attend her own. She tells that as she was leaving she was "politely" greeted by the pastor and he thanked her for visiting with them but added that should she visit another Sunday she would not be welcomed if she wore slacks again! She assured him that he need not worry because she would not be back. Then she went on to say that she was wearing slacks because it was below zero and snowing outside and because she could not get her car out she had walked the two blocks from her home. And, she didn't think God cared!
What does God see? God is disappointed with Saul as King. God has decided to end the reign of Saul with Saul. None of his sons will become King of Israel. Thus Samuel is commissioned to anoint a new King over Israel, a task that Samuel is not eager to do. What if the King discovers what he is about to do? He could be killed. God assures Samuel this will not happen and he is to take a heifer and go to Bethlehem to the house of Jesse and there offer a sacrifice, worship and anoint a new King for Israel. As he arrives in Bethlehem he makes the arrangements for Jesse and his sons to join him for worship and dinner the following day. They are to do whatever is necessary to prepare themselves for the service.
As they gather the sons of Jesse pass before Samuel. As the first one passes by Samuel is sure this is the one. However, God intervenes and says no, do not be fooled by outward appearances. Appearance, height, stature is not what matters in the eyes of God… "for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart" (vs.7b). Seven sons of Jesse pass before Samuel and seven times God shakes his head no. Seven rejections, is there something wrong? Is there not one man after God's own heart in these seven? Samuel asks Jesse if he has any more sons. Can you hear Jesse? "Oh yes, there is the young one. But he is not important. I left him in the fields tending the sheep. You surely don't want to see him." Now David could not be that far away! They wait for him to be summoned and arrive so it is not a long journey to get him. I mean he is not in Seattle, maybe Shoreline but not Seattle.
David is summoned and as he comes God nods yes. Here in a service of worship and sacrifice in Bethlehem David is anointed as the next King of Israel. The youngest son of Jesse is anointed King in a day when all the privileges and honors went to the oldest. The oldest would even get a double portion of the inheritance. Now David does has the looks but still… David?
The days will not be easy for David. Saul's jealousy will grow against David and Saul will seek to have David killed. David will live in exile for a while in caves and will often flee for his own life. He will develop a friendship with the man who should be King after Saul, Jonathan. A man whose heart must be close to David's. Jonathan is willing not to be King if this is God's choice. He will honor and serve the one God chooses. He will support David when he goes against the wishes of his father. Jonathan is willing to acknowledge the decision of God in his life and the life of David.
David will know the ups and downs of life (read the Psalms he wrote). He will be betrayed, a son will rebel and he too will live in fear of his own life from those around him.
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The days of his reign will not be easy nor will the journey to be accepted as King. But he is a man after God's own heart (I Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22).
What does God see? The writer of Hebrews reminds us that God sees through our exterior and goes directly to the heart. God knows the motive behind our actions. Have you ever asked a three-year-old or a teen-ager why they did something? You get about the same response, "I don't know." God asks that of us. Even though God knows our motives God asks, "Why did you do that?"
When we were in the Philippines we always knew when it was an election year. Road projects would begin. New road construction would be started. Old roads would be dug up and new surfaces would replace the old ones. Of course, if the person lost the election the project would be stopped. The winner would not finish the project their opponent had started. You would be driving and suddenly a new two-lane road would become a one-lane road again—often with no warning. The construction signs and barriers would be removed for other jobs. It made driving, especially at night, a very interesting endeavor at best! However, everyone knew the motive for the road construction – votes!
As I have been reflecting on this message I have been asking what is the heart of David like? David is "a man after God's own heart." What does that mean? David was very human. There would be no rushing to make David a saint today. Was it his willingness to admit (openly at times) that he had sinned and sought God's forgiveness? Was it his fairness in dealing justly with the people of God? Or the kindness he gave to those like Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth? Was it his willingness to be rebuked by God? Remember Nathan's visit regarding the affair with Bathsheba and the killing of her husband: The wonderful parable of the man with one poor sheep and the rich man who took it from him. As Nathan told the story David in anger exclaims that the man who took the lone sheep should be killed. Imagine the courage it took for Nathan to look David in the eye and say, "you are the man!" And the repentance of David to admit Nathan was right. David always found his way back to faith, back to God. A man after God's own heart.
What does this mean for us today? For me it means that I must look beyond what I see and try to see another through the eyes of God. And also to examine the motive of my heart in certain situations. To ask myself, "Why did you do that?" We all need to be willing to listen to each other's stories. Now I have only been with you for a few months but you will soon know how important I think it is for us to hear each other stories. They help us to understand why people do things the way they do and when we understand we often become more understanding. We need a second, third and fourth impression of one another.
Mary had rough edges. Getting to know her was like getting to know a rough piece of sandpaper. She said what she thought – usually way too loud. She was a tough person to get to know and many dismissed her at their first meeting. However, Mary had a heart of pure gold. If you were sick you wanted Mary around. She would come and clean your house, wash your clothes (ironing them too), chauffeur your kids to wherever they needed to go and make sure your family had a hot meal ready when they came home. She wanted you to get well and would do anything she could to help the process. There was no job she would not do if you needed it done. She just had rough edges, very rough edges. Those who didn't give Mary a chance to make a fourth or fifth impression never discovered the depth of Mary's love and concern for her neighbors, her church family or strangers in the community.
Samuel had an idea of what the next King of Israel should be. God had another. God saw more in David than even his father saw in him. God sees more in you and me than we can ever imagine or see in ourselves. My prayer is that we will have God's vision and will see in one another what God sees.
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