Season 5 - Episode 8
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On Sunday, Brent led us to consider the text of 1 Samuel that describes the anointing of David. The crux of the passage, which Brent highlighted, is the observation, “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” I am so grateful for what we were challenged to consider about God, about how God views us, and the invitation to think about how we look and at consider ourselves and others. I’m going to build on what Brent talked about by inviting us to consider that last question even further. How does this passage get us thinking about how we view or judge others? Let’s talk about that briefly in this Covenant Weekly for October 21, 2025.
Bear with me for just a moment. There is something in virtually all English translations that isn’t in the Greek. The full quote in 1 Samuel 16:7 normally reads something like this, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God does not see as man sees, since man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” [NASB]
But that is reworked to make sense to us. The the word “God,” what in many translations is the first use of the world “Lord,” isn’t in the original. Rather, it more accurately reads, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him, for not as man sees, since man looks on the eyes [or what the eyes see], but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Adding “God doesn’t look…” earlier doesn’t change the meaning. But not having it there really highlights the limitations on what humanity sees! It would be easy to read this as an indictment on humanity for looking at the surface things. But I wonder if it is more of a simple observation. We can’t see what God sees!
I’ve been watching a YouTube series called The Enemies Project in which an experienced mediator brings together people from different sides of very polarized issues to have a conversation. The goal isn’t to resolve the differences, it is to build relationships. And one of the things each episode shows is how quick we are to ascribe motivations to people we disagree with. We presume we can see and understand their heart. And because we think we know their heart, we can come to judge them at a very deep level. The process they are led through in the videos helps expose the deeper, truer motivations. And, more often than not, at that level, people find compassion for each other and bridges are built even if they are no closer to agreeing on the issue at hand.
It is wonderful that God sees the heart. But we can’t. So what are we to do?
The model of The Enemies Project is a good one. It models listening and getting to know a person’s story rather than simply identifying them based on their perspective on an issue. But what about situations where we can’t sit down with someone? How are we to discern and even make a judgement about them?
I think Jesus gives us advice in this regard. In Matthew 7 we read, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”
We must make discernments based on what we can see. So look at the fruit in someone’s life. Notice that this doesn’t say their apparent success or lackthereof. It doesn’t say look at their fame or popularity or wealth or charisma. Look at their fruit. And I don’t think it is a big leap to go to how Paul describes the fruit of the Spirit of God in someone’s life. He writes, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.” These are all things that are visible in someone’s life.
God looks on the heart. We cannot. That should keep us deeply humble as we engage others. But we are given guidance about what we can and should look for to help our discernment. “Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.” Watching for these doesn’t replace working to really get to know someone. But where that relational connection isn’t feasible, this helps us identify positive reflections of the heart that God sees.