It's the Inside that Counts

1 Samuel 16:7

But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

I enjoy classic movies. It’s a trait I share with my dad, and I especially enjoy watching one with him or discussing a mutual favorite. He prefers westerns while I prefer a good drama, but still, we find enough common ground to enjoy our hobby together at times.

Last night, I was at his house while a movie with Audie Murphy was on. I didn’t catch the name of it, and I only saw a few moments of it, but I did notice something: Audie Murphy doesn’t look like a hero. I know he was the hero of the movie because my dad, who’d seen it before, shared some of the plotline. I though how this slight man looked a very unlikely hero, especially compared to the huge, buff, tough looking movie heroes of more recent years. The irony is that Audie Murphy, one of the most decorated soldiers of World War 2, was what I would consider a real-life hero. This slight, almost awkward looking man wasn’t just a movie hero, he was a real hero. How funny today that most of todays actors who look the part don’t come close at all to that kind of bravery in real life.

I was still thinking about the irony of this today when I though about how it doesn’t matter what we look like to others, only to God. He sees what others, including we ourselves, cannot see. When Samuel went to Jesse because he knew God had chosen one of his sons to be the next king, no one, including Samuel, thought God’s choice was going to be David, the youngest son.

Don’t be so quick to judge someone by their outer appearance. It’s what’s inside that counts. Remember, God sees what we can’t.