It is What is Inside

Text: I Sam. 16:1-7
More Lessons: Jer. 4:14
Bible Reading in One Year: 1 Sam.11-13

Appearance, personality, beauty, cleanliness are all important but as important as they are, they cannot be the most vital things in your life. Your life is more than your face and how you appear. Our text today brings out the vital part of man; the heart, that is the source of everything in man. The way a man appears, dresses, talks and walks is a reflection of the state of his heart. Verse 7 of our text makes us to understand that God looks at man from inside out. For us to please the Lord we must handle our heart correctly. For example, Prov.4:23 says Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. it is never a thing to play with ...for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Matt 12:34. When wisdom entereth into thine heart... Prov. 2:10. We need a heart that knows wisdom because a heart full of wisdom is a tree of life; everyone can feed from it. Wisdom is a principal thing.

The way man looks at another man's face to judge him is the way God looks at man's heart to discern him. When God wanted to choose a king, He looked for someone with the right attitude- David. And when God gave Samuel instruction for finding the king He said ...Look not on his countenance,…:vs7. While it is good to take care of ourselves in the area of cleanliness and attractiveness and in using the personality that God has given us, these should not take top billing. Neither should they be the basis for choosing friends, marriage partner, as some people do. It is not what is on the outside that makes the person it's his or her attitude.

Check your heart, not just your appearance. How beautiful and colourful are you on the inside? Is it clean enough for the King of kings to be resident there? Hear the admonition of the Lord on how you can become clean: Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isaiah 1:16-18

Prayer/Action
* I subject my heart to the cleansing power in the blood of the Lamb.
* Father, help me to put more emphasis on the beauty of the spirit more than that of the body.
* I receive a heart that is well pleasing unto the Lord.

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