Hoping to anoint the next king, Samuel watched several strong, handsome men walk into the room. None were the Lord’s chosen. The Lord explained, Do not look at his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

Few passages in the Bible express more about the Lord and how he interacts with us than this explanation given to Samuel. It’s encouraging to me, and more than a little sobering, to glimpse the Lord’s perspective.

Do we still need to “dress for success?” I’m afraid so. Most of the world looks on our outward appearance, at least initially. Despite the glory of wearing sweats when working from home, convention requires we dress appropriately and bathe regularly. Even wearing fashionable sweats helps if you get caught on a video call.

Samuel finally sent for the youngest boy, out tending sheep and overlooked in the dinner invitations. Samuel spotted him as he rushed in, and then felt the Lord’s nudge – this is the one.

David, the sheep-tender, proved to be a man after God’s own heart, and grew into a king like no other.

1 Samuel 16 in week seventeen of reading the Bible cover to cover