WHEN GOD CHOOSES A LEADER
1 SAMUEL 16:7
"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 man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
God commanded the prophet Samuel to go to Bethlehem to anoint a successor to the throne of king Saul. In his mind, he thought of an impressive good-looking guy like Saul who was tall and handsome. Yet God warned him against judging by the outward aspects alone. When Samuel arrived at the town, he saw a man by the name Eliab, a son of Jesse, and was fascinated with him and thought that it was he whom God has chosen. “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.” Because of this, APPEARANCE does not reveal a man, but the CHARACTER does. For God judges a man by his or her faith and character and not by mere appearances. You can be the most handsome and the most beautiful person in the world and does have an immense wealth, but as long as your attitude toward God and your neighbor is unpleasant then you are not worthy of God's service. Remember, ALL BEAUTY AND ITS SPLENDOR WILL FADE. It will not last and it passes away. God's judgments are not dictated by anything or anyone for He chooses whom He wants. When people judge by outward appearance and by what a man has, they select by the world’s standard, so they can miss out on the chance of choosing out individuals who have the potential qualities and God-given abilities to lead and govern. But GOD DOESN'T SHOW FAVORITISM in selecting leaders who deserve to be in His service.
As I reflect on this verse, I came to deeply understand the impartiality of God.Truly, God is fair and He does not show favoritism as many others do. Thus, it reinvigorated me more to serve the Lord not minding what people say but rather what God will say. While many people don’t seem to acknowledge your value, but God does and He can always make a way to install you to a certain situation where He can use you for His glory. No one could hinder His purpose over your life. You can be miscalculated by others due to your lack of physical attractions and financial situation, but God is looking at your heart. Your character and your willingness are more than required than your beauty. Besides, there is what we call recommendations, but not all recommendations are true and honest. Most likely, it is biased and filled with personal intents. God doesn’t honor such an act as He is the only one who knows you so He alone will judge you. May we all learn from the word of God through Samuel not to look on the outward appearances to avoid any misjudgments. May we not be easily influenced by other person's ideas or chatter but instead seek to abide by what God wants you to do.
As Christian believers, we are accountable and responsible for all our actions. If by chance that you were allowed to choose your leader then, of course, you should pray and most likely choose a leader who does not divide but unite his people. A leader who has the heart of service and willing to sacrifice. A leader who pay attention to you and is not selfish and does not take advantage of you. Above all, a leader who has the heart of God that even in his limitations and imperfections he knows how to seek God in everything he does. That is if you were given a chance! But no matter whom God has put over you as your leader, you have to give them the utmost respect and support that they deserve in all aspects of their ministry. In return, it is also their responsibility to look after the welfare of their servants. They should also give careful attention to the conditions of their flocks not only when they needed something from them. When God chooses a leader, He looks at the heart and not the outward appearance.
