GOD'S VIEW

THE words of God to Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7 are very important as we look at our evaluation of each other, specially with respect to failure in Christians. The relevant sentence is at the end of the verse - "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart." My thoughts on this word of God have a slightly different slant than normal, but I believe they are just as true.

These words to Samuel immediately speak to us that our evaluation of a persons spiritual qualities and skills are judged by what we see outside, and so we may feel a person is equipped for a position in the church when really they are not. My thoughts on these words here look at a different application of them.

The occasion of these words of God to Samuel is the selection of a king to follow and replace Saul as king over Israel. Samuel has been sent by God to the family of Jesse, and all the sons of Jesse, or so Samuel thinks, are before him. Samuel sees the eldest and Samuel looks at him, and it seems that he has all the qualities for kingship. Samuel thinks, "Surely the Lord's anointed stands here before the Lord." (v.6). But God says to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things man looks as. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart."

This revelation from God is true not only in the selection of a king, but in every direction in life. Also it is true that it is by their actions that we make our evaluation of people. Our actions overall are a mirror of our heart, but not always so. In the case of David we see in his life many actions which seem to deny God's evaluation of his heart.

When David was being pursued by Saul because Saul wished to kill him, he did not always trust the Lord. Then later in his reign he stole another man's wife and virtually murdered her husband. God knew all this when he said his heart was right at the time Samuel anointed David as the one God had chosen to be the future king.

Sometimes outward actions don't truly express the state of the heart towards God. We see the outward action and we may be ready to condemn and write off that person as graceless and godless, when God looking on the heart - the deep inner disposition and desire within the person - says, even so that person truly loves me, and wants to obey and serve me.

Take the case of Peter's denial of Jesus at the time of the crucifixion. His action seems to indicate that he did not love Jesus very much and was quite ready to forsake him in time of need. But that was not so - fear for his life and his reputation caused him to deny Jesus vehemently three times, but deep down he wished he could have been brave, because he loved Jesus and wanted to continue as his disciple. Jesus, looking into his heart, knew this and so when he visited some of the disciples by the side of Galilee after his resurrection, he specially spoke and ministered to Peter to restore him.

The dialogue of this incident is very instructive. You can read it in John 21:15-19. By denying Jesus, Peter had seemed to say by his action that he had not much care and love for Jesus. Jesus in this dialogue asks Peter whether he has a deep love for him. Peter, now humbled and dejected, could not feel he could claim deep love for Jesus. No doubt he wanted to love Jesus deeply, but could only say to Jesus that he had friendly affection for Him. (The Greek word used by Jesus in v.15 & 16 is 'agape' meaning deep love; Peter only uses 'fileo' meaning friendship; and Jesus also uses 'fileo' in v.17). So when Jesus even seems to doubt Peter's friendship love in v.17, Peter is hurt, but notice, Peter appeals to Jesus knowledge of his heart in v.17b.

Jesus knew Peter really loved him and wanted to love him with the deepest love, and that his actions did not really express his heart. Why did Jesus - why does God - allow his people to fail as Peter did in denying him? It is a difficult question, but Peter learnt humility by it. He also saw into his own heart and came to realise that his heart was really better than his actions, but also that some of the ways he had spoken and behaved had been a contradiction of the grace of God in his heart. He learnt also that Jesus saw the real Peter which grace had made in him in the heart, not the weak failing arrogant Peter the actions of the flesh revealed. He learnt that Jesus loved him and owned him and was keeping him.

It is important to realise this conflict in the Christian life. Firstly for our own encouragement, though not to heal the convictions of sin and failure lightly. Jesus searched Peter's heart. But when the searching has done its perfect work, we can be comforted by the knowledge that Jesus sees the new person he has created in us, and not the sinful failure; and whatever the rejection and condemnation we may suffer from others, Jesus does not reject us. We also can say with Paul in his facing of this failure in Romans 7:24 - "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Jesus holds on to us and will bring us to the perfection he purposes in glory.

Secondly for our evaluation, treatment and attitude to our fellow Christians. We tend to judge fellow believers far too quickly and by what we tend to see on the surface. Our judgement is often also coloured by the effect of the action of others on ourselves. I wonder what the other disciples felt towards Peter, and what their attitude was to him after his dreadful failure. No doubt they were unable to see what Jesus saw in Peter's heart. Perhaps they conveniently overlooked their own failure, which was less obvious, but still a running away that was just as real a rejection of love for Jesus. We are very good at not regarding our own failings when criticising others. The point is that God sees what we don't, that is the real attitude in the heart. The outward action is not always a true reflection of the heart.

When we deal with people in their failure, love is the only way and love never fails. This is the apostle Paul's inspired conviction. How does love approach people in their failings. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 tells us, but in this context, particularly v.7. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.