First Impressions are Misleading: 1 Samuel 16:6-13
It takes time for us to understand what lies within someone else, which is why our first impressions are often incorrect. We use our external senses to make first impressions, primarily our sight and our hearing. While these are useful tools for situational awareness, they are not the best tools for learning about someone else’s character. Learning character takes time and involves our heart.
Samuel consecrates the whole family of Jesse. Since Samuel is offering a sacrifice to the Lord, the attendees need to be consecrated. When Samuel invited the elders of Bethlehem to the sacrifice, he told them to consecrate themselves and come. However, Samuel consecrates the family of Jesse himself.
Samuel has figured out God’s plan. The sacrifice allows Samuel to anoint God’s chosen. While consecrating the family, Samuel gives God an opportunity to tell Samuel who gets anointed.
It also demonstrates Samuel’s humanity. Samuel began life as a sacrifice to God by Hannah. He grew up in the tabernacle under all the Levites rotating in to serve. When Eli died, Samuel became judge over the Hebrew people. He has been around God and God’s ways his entire life. Yet even here, at the close of his ministry, he still needs help. He is still learning. He still makes mistakes in judgment.
God already taught Samuel how to anoint the next king without provoking Saul. Now God teaches Samuel to not judge a person’s character with his senses. Samuel looked upon the older, more developed sons of Jesse and assumed God would pick one of them. They were mature. They had grown into their adult musculature. They could present themselves well. From a human perspective, Samuel had every reason to think God would pick from the older brothers.
God wanted David, however. God wanted the boy who hadn’t yet grown up. God looked at the heart of the gangly teenager who still had some adult muscle to put on and saw something Samuel couldn’t see. God saw David’s heart. God saw the possibilities David’s heart could create. God chose David to be Saul’s replacement as king because of his heart. God let the people have the king who outwardly looked the role first; now God selects a king based on qualities not immediately seen.
Getting a bit ahead of myself, David isn’t perfect. David will make more than his fair share of mistakes. David is a passionate human being like the rest of us. David versus Saul isn’t a study in good versus bad, it is a study in humble repentance versus rash arrogance. Nobody should ever claim David is perfect. David’s heart responds differently to his imperfection than Saul. That’s why God picks David.
God surprises Samuel because He can evaluate the heart. God can see a person and immediately know them. We cannot. It takes time for us to understand what lies within someone else, which is why our first impressions are often incorrect.
