Check the Drawer – January 10, 2022

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. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7

Check the Drawer

Just an old-fashioned coffee grinder. That’s what the couple had their eye on as they perused the estate sale in their small town. They were intrigued, but the $100 price tag seemed a bit steep, especially when the same item could be purchased on Etsy for $27.51. So, they passed it up.

The next day, they see the “50% off all items” yard sign as they drive past the sale they attended yesterday. Determining the coffee-grinder is worth $50, they quickly turn around and grab the item off its showcase table in the kitchen. Two twenties and a ten later, they are on their way. When they get home and inspect their new possession, imagine the surprise when they open the little drawer in the grinder and find $750!

“Don’t pass up a coffee-grinder until you open the drawer” doesn’t quite have the same ring to it as “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” but you get the point. But not everyone gets the point, sometimes, not even prophets in the Bible. Samuel was sent, by God, to anoint Israel’s next king. He was told it would be one of the sons of a man named Jesse. When he saw Jesse’s oldest standing tall in front of him, his impressive appearance convinced Samuel that this must be the one who would be king.

But he was wrong. Because God told him that “The Lord does not look at the things people look at” (1 Samuel 16:7). Thankfully, that’s still true. Thankfully, when the Lord looks at you, he doesn’t see what others see—the selfishness, the lack of love, the sin. When the Lord looks at you, do you know what he sees? A person whose sins are covered with the blood of Jesus. When he looks at your heart by grace, he sees his home.

Prayer:
Lord, fling wide the portals of my heart and make it a temple set apart for you. Amen.