Samuel was searching for a king, so he looked for a man with impressive credentials. He viewed the candidates for royalty through his own eyes, but quickly learned that appearances, though impressive to people, are unimpressive to God. To God, no one is ugly or handsome or beautiful or strong or intelligent.
For Him, there are only two categories: obedient and disobedient. God is the one who accomplishes the miraculous through His people. Whether or not a person is pretty or homely makes no difference. Their height and muscle density are irrelevant. How well they talk, their Ivy League credentials, how adept they are with technology are inconsequential to whether or not their heart is right before God. When God rejected every one of David’s brothers, Samuel was confused. “Are all the young men here?” he asked. Jesse replied, “There is yet the youngest, and he is keeping our sheep.” The youngest was the smallest and the weakest who traditionally received the smallest portion of the inheritance. The baby of the family was teased, left to do the dirty work, often bullied by his older brothers, and had to work extra hard to even be noticed. Yet in God’s eyes, he was a perfect candidate to lead the nation. His heart was right. His focus was on target. His attitude was pleasing to God.
A resume will highlight what impresses people, but it may not reveal what is important to God. Integrity, character, focus, and a pure heart are revealed in one’s relationships and in how a person spends their time and money. Ask God to show you a person’s heart the next time you are hiring staff or team members. God notices the seemingly small things. When it comes to people, are you concerned with the same things God is?