3104 West Liberty Ave.
Dormont, PA 15216
412-531-9363
 

Sermon: The Heart Over the Height

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Every single day, we have to make quick judgments about the world around us. We decide where to sit, whom to trust, and what path to take. We are constantly processing information based on what we see.

In our Scripture today, we encounter two powerful moments—one in the Old Testament and one in the New—that challenge the very foundation of how we make those judgments. They ask us a critical question: Are we judging by the surface, or are we judging the substance? Are we judging by mere appearances, or are we judging by the heart?

1. The Prophet’s Mistake: Judging by the Cover (1 Samuel 16:1-5)

The first reading takes us to a moment of great transition. Israel needs a new king, and God sends the great prophet Samuel to the house of Jesse. Samuel knows he is looking for a man of destiny, a man chosen by God.

When he sees Jesse's firstborn son, Eliab, Samuel thinks, "This must be him." Eliab was everything a king should look like: tall, strong, and commanding. He was a man with a kingly presence. Samuel was ready to pour the oil of anointing on his head, convinced by what his human eyes saw.

This is a profoundly relatable moment. Even the great prophet Samuel, whose heart was devoted to God, looked at the stature and appearance and made a mistake. He judged by the cover of the book, assuming the impressive exterior held the important contents. This shows us that judging by appearance is not just a fault of the shallow, but a deeply human and common error.

2. God’s Correction: The Heart of the Matter (1 Samuel 16:6-12)

Then comes the pivotal, life-changing correction from God: "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

This single sentence is the theological center of the entire story. God is telling Samuel that human criteria—height, fashion, wealth, title, or physical strength—are meaningless to Him. God looks beyond the things that impress human society and looks directly at the heart.

What does God see when He looks at the heart? He sees devotion, integrity, loyalty, faithfulness in the small things, and the capacity for love and justice. He saw the genuine character of the individual, not the suit of clothes or the military bearing. Jesse brought forth seven sons, one after another, all of whom likely possessed physical strength or social charm. And God rejected every single one.

3. The Unlikely King: David in the Field

Finally, Samuel asks if there is anyone else. Jesse grudgingly sends for the youngest, David, who is out in the fields, doing the lowliest work of a shepherd. David was not impressive enough to even be included in the initial lineup for the prophet. He was small, perhaps red-haired, and likely smelled of the sheep.

Yet, God says, "Rise and anoint him; this is the one." God chose the overlooked, the unnoticed, the youngest, based entirely on the contents of his heart. The very moment he was anointed, the Spirit of the LORD came powerfully upon him.

God chooses the seemingly unlikely to remind us that His power is made perfect in weakness, and His choices are based on a vision deeper than any human eye possesses.

4. The Command of Christ (John 7:24)

Centuries later, Jesus delivers this exact principle as a command in John 7:24: "Stop judging by mere appearances but instead judge correctly."

Jesus is not telling us to stop using discernment, but to stop using superficial judgment. It's easy to judge someone by their political affiliation, their social media feed, their bank account, or the car they drive. For example, when we encounter a person experiencing homelessness, we might see only their immediate circumstance. When we see someone with a visible disability, we might focus only on the challenge. But these are just the outward appearances. Jesus reminds us that God looks deeper than the clothes, the income, or the physical condition; He looks at the heart, which holds their true spirit, their story, and their profound worth. Jesus says, "Do not judge based on these fleeting externals."

To "judge correctly" means to look for truth, character, and righteousness. It means asking: Is this person trustworthy? Are their actions based on love? Does their character honor God? This is how God sees us, and this is how we are called to see one another.

Conclusion: Seeing with God’s Eyes

The story of David challenges us to examine our own hearts:

• To the Overlooked: If you feel like David, forgotten in the field, remember that the Lord is looking past the powerful people and setting His eyes directly on your faithful heart. Your value is determined by God, not by your status.

• To the Judge: Where are you failing to see the David in the corner because you are blinded by the Eliab? Let us pray for God’s vision—the righteous judgment that sees the potential and character God has placed within every person, regardless of their outward appearance.

Let us commit to seeing the heart, just as the Lord sees ours. Amen.