God Looks at the Heart

Being a prophet doesn't make someone perfect.  God corrected the prophet Samuel's assumptions concerning Eliab, the oldest son of Jesse who had a "royal bearing."  He looked at Eliab and thought, "This must be the LORD's anointed!"  1 Samuel 16:7 says, "But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."  Physical height was no qualification to be king when the heart of a man disqualifies him.  It is good for us to realise that we, like Samuel, can be led astray by first impressions and what can be seen.

What is true for individuals rings true for the Body of Christ, the church.  As long as I have been a part of the church there have always been people who come and go.  It is interesting to hear their perspective and how it impacts their decision to return or look elsewhere.  Some see a young pastor as one lacking necessary wisdom, and an older one as out of touch.  A large congregation is overwhelming to some, while a small congregation can be met with curious suspicion:  if it was a good church, why is it still small?  I am convinced any church you decide to regularly attend will have it faults and flaws because it if filled with people, and we all make our contributions.  But praise the LORD His grace, love and mercy is sufficient for us, and His strength is made perfect in weakness. :)

Trees provide a fitting illustration of how we cannot base our judgments primarily on what we see with our eyes.  Growing up we had a massive evergreen pine tree in the back yard which became infested with borers.  We were shocked to see grubs carving out paths under the bark which killed the tree in a season:  height provided no protection.  Fruitfulness is not always a sign of health either, for we had a peach tree heavily loaded with fruit which fell during the night.  The weight of the ripening peaches revealed the trunk had been eaten by termites.  Years ago I had a lemon tree that produced many green leaves but no lemons because the wild root stock had been allowed to flourish from under the graft.  Height, fruit and green leaves does not mean a tree is healthy, and I was surprised on all three occasions I based my judgment on sight alone.

Jeremiah 17:7-10 states, "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. ⁸ For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit. ⁹ "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? ¹⁰ I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings."  Only God can know the hearts of men, so let us not be presumptuous to think we can know the hearts of others.  Based upon God's promise the spiritual health of God's people is not dependent upon the age of their pastor or the size of a congregation, but is assured for those who trust in the LORD.  Those who look to Jesus Christ are made spiritually healthy because they are connected to the vitality of Jesus Christ.  Such will remain fruitful in heat and drought because of the Living Water of the Holy Spirit who empowers us.  Times of pruning comes for the fruitful which temporarily ceases production, but in time will flourish again.

Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD and hopes in Him!  This is the one whose heart is pure before the Father by grace through faith in Jesus.  Our eyes and heart can deceive us, but the LORD will give us the insight, strength and vitality to be fruitful wherever He plants us.  We use our eyes to observe others, and the LORD searches our hearts and tests our minds:  will the good fruit of the Spirit be found in us?  Great reward is ours, not primarily due to the church we attend, but when we are personally fruitful for His glory by His grace.