I remember once when a friend and I, both of us young men, were driving down the street, and we looked over at the car next to us. A beautiful girl sat in the driver’s seat. We stared, as young men do. Then she picked up a cigarette and took a few puffs.
We no longer found her attractive.
We’ve all met a physically attractive person before. Beautiful or handsome, we are stunned by their appearance.
Sometimes, however, when we get to know that person, their character or personality makes them less attractive. Perhaps they are prideful or annoying in some way.
Maybe they are cruel or insensitive to the feelings and needs of others. Whatever it might be, this person we thought was attractive is now repugnant to us.
Character is more important than anything else. A person can have a modicum of talent and still enjoy great success due to their work ethic or other positive traits. It is also possible for the most talented individual to never accomplish anything due to laziness or entitlement.
Despite knowing this, we still want our celebrities to be beautiful or handsome. We want good-looking people in ads.
As much as it might be changing, we continue to deal with impossible standards of beauty in our Western media. It is human nature, and we might say, to look at the surface first. To “judge a book by its cover,” so to speak.
God, however, doesn’t share this weakness or temptation. He is a God of truth, and he is a God of the seen and unseen. The Bible makes this clear, telling us that while man looks at the outward appearance, God looks at the heart.
What Is the Context of 1 Samuel 16:7?
1 Samuel 16:7 reads: “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’”
In context, Israel was about to go through another major transition. Earlier in 1 Samuel 8, the people of Israel ask for a king like the other nations.
Moses set up a system of judges when the children of Israel were delivered from Egypt, basically, a representative democratic system where there were semi-elected leaders of families and tribes to deal with minor, everyday conflicts between people (Deuteronomy 16).
The larger issues would be dealt with by Moses, a later position that became a temporary deliverer or judge for God’s people. God never set up a king over them.
Because God was their king and ruler, which Samuel explains in 1 Samuel 8, Samuel was a priest, deliverer, and judge for the people, but due to the failings of his sons, the people asked for a king like the other nations around them had. With grief, Samuel tries to talk them out of it, but Israel is adamant. And God allows it.
Samuel appoints Saul, the first king of Israel, a tall and handsome man. He looked like a king. But Saul didn’t follow through with his commitment to obey God. After several missteps, God decides to give the kingdom to another person.
The biblical context of 1 Samuel 16:7 revolves around the anointing of David as the future king of Israel. In this chapter, the prophet Samuel is instructed by God to go to Bethlehem and anoint one of Jesse's sons as the chosen king, as Saul's reign had been rejected by God.
The verse occurs in the context of Samuel's visit to Jesse's household, where he observes the eldest son, Eliab, and assumes that he must be the chosen one based on his outward appearance.
However, God reveals to Samuel that He does not judge individuals based on their external appearances or physical attributes. Instead, God sees and evaluates the heart — the inner character, motives, and attitudes of a person.
Young David is chosen because of his heart. He is a man after God’s own heart, the Bible says (1 Samuel 13:14).
What Are Other Scriptures about God Looking at the Heart?
There are several other scriptures that emphasize the importance of God looking at the heart rather than external appearances.
“A person may think their own ways are right, but the LORD weighs the heart.” Proverbs 21:2 highlights the contrast between human perceptions and God's evaluation.
While individuals may believe they are acting rightly, God examines the heart and discerns the true motives and intentions behind their actions.
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” This passage from Psalm 139:23-24 reflects the psalmist's desire for God to examine his heart and reveal any impurities or sinful inclinations.
It demonstrates the psalmist's understanding that a pure heart is crucial for a life that aligns with God's ways.
“I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” Jeremiah 17:10 emphasizes God's role as the searcher of hearts and the ultimate judge.
It reveals that God's evaluation of individuals is based on their conduct and the alignment of their hearts with His commands.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” In the Beatitudes, Jesus teaches that those with pure hearts will experience the blessedness of seeing God (Matthew 5:8). This verse underscores the significance of cultivating a heart that is free from impurities and fully devoted to God.
“God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.” In the early church, Peter emphasizes that God knows the hearts of believers, regardless of their ethnic background or external distinctions (Acts 15:8-9).
These scriptures collectively reinforce the principle that God's focus is on the inner condition of the heart.
Why Does Man Look at the Outward Appearance When God Looks at the Heart?
The statement that man looks at the outward appearance while God looks at the heart reflects a profound truth about the nature of human judgment and the divine perspective.
Our central, core problem is not the outward, superficial appearance. It is our hearts that condemn us. As Jesus taught, evil comes from our hearts (Matthew 15:11). In the Jewish culture of the day, righteousness was an outward act of what was done or not done.
Eating the wrong thing or being in the wrong place would defile them or make them unclean. However, Jesus corrects this by saying they are already defiled in their hearts, and the heart and soul of people is where evil comes from.
Earlier, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reveals a deeper law. They had heard they shouldn’t kill, but Jesus commanded them to not hate.
They had heard to not commit adultery, but Jesus commands them to keep from lust. Hate and lust lead to murder and adultery. Deal with the desires of the heart, and our actions will follow.
Romans 7 from the Apostle Paul continues to explore this. The problem with the Law was not the actual rules and regulations.
As righteous and good as those laws were, they were dependent upon sinful human nature to act according to the holy and divine.
Paul explores the reality under the law — the rules say not to do something, but he would do it anyway. The good he wanted to do, he couldn’t make himself do.
For Paul, Romans 7:18 declares there was nothing good in his flesh, his human nature. The Law only revealed the broken, corrupt, selfish hearts of all of us.
What could save us? Jesus, Paul writes.
We needed a deeper work. We needed a work to transform the inner person, the heart and soul within. This was the promise of the New Covenant from Ezekiel 36:24-28.
We would be given a new heart and spirit. The core of us would change so we could obey and follow God. This is fulfilled in the person of Christ and the indwelling of God himself through the Holy Spirit.
This is the gift of walking by a new law, the law of Spirit and Life, as Paul goes on to describe in the classic Romans 8.
We walk in God’s righteousness, not our own, when we walk according to his very Spirit. The inner transformation and walking step by step with Christ will result in righteous living. This is the way of the New Covenant.
We must judge, therefore, by something deeper than mere appearance. People can appear righteous and hide deep hate in their hearts or follow outward rules out of selfish desires.
God seeks our obedience out of the correct heart and motivation. Otherwise, we do it for nothing (Matthew 6:1).
What Are Important Lessons for Us Today about Why God Looks at the Heart?
The fact that God looks at the heart carries significant lessons for Christians today. What are those lessons?
1. Genuine worship. God desires worship that stems from a heart that is fully devoted to Him. It calls us to cultivate authentic and sincere expressions of love, praise, and obedience rather than engaging in superficial or ritualistic practices.
2. Inner transformation. The emphasis on the heart challenges us to prioritize the development of our character, aligning our thoughts, desires, and attitudes with the teachings of Christ. This transformation is facilitated by the work of the Holy Spirit within us.
3. Faith over appearances. The lesson of looking at the heart prompts us to recognize that God's favor and acceptance are not based on worldly standards such as wealth, physical attractiveness, or social status. Instead, God values our trust, obedience, and faithfulness in Him.
4. Authentic relationships. God's focus on the heart reminds us to seek genuine connections based on love, empathy, and understanding, rather than being swayed by external appearances or superficial motives.
By looking at the heart, we can cultivate deeper, more meaningful relationships that reflect the love of Christ.
5. Humility and self-reflection. Understanding that God looks at the heart teaches us to examine our motives, thoughts, and actions, inviting the Holy Spirit to reveal areas that require transformation.
This humility helps us grow in grace, acknowledging our need for God's guidance and correction.
6. Compassion and empathy. Every person has a unique journey and struggles, and we should seek to understand their hearts rather than making superficial judgments. This attitude allows us to extend grace, forgiveness, and support to those in need.
7. Integrity and consistency. The reality of God seeing the heart challenges us to align our internal convictions with our outward actions, demonstrating a genuine faith that permeates every aspect of our lives. This authenticity in our faith witness makes a lasting impact on others.
God is Spirit, and we must worship him in Spirit and Truth. He is God of the unseen things of the heart and our deepest thoughts.
We require his help and empowerment to worship him as he is and please him by walking by the gift of faith. Let us open our hearts to God to be transformed to be people after his heart.
For further reading:
Does God See More Than the Physical Appearance?
What Your Friend with a Negative Body Image Wants You to Know
How Is Charm Deceptive and Beauty Fleeting?
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