Where Is He Going?

Legend has it that the great biblical commentator, Matthew Henry, went to London, as a young man and met a young lady of nobility and wealth. They fell in love. She asked her father if she could marry him. He replied, "He's got no background; you don't know where he's come from."

Her reply? "Yes, I know, but I know where he's going, and I want to go with him." 

I like that. When it comes to making disciples of people (for Jesus), we can easily overlook someone because of where they come from. God sees where they can go.

I Sam. 16:7--But God told Samuel, "Looks aren't everything. Don't be impressed with his looks and stature. I've already eliminated him. God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart." THE MESSAGE

The Lord Looks at the Heart

John Hockenberry is journalist, who has been at the volcano of Mt. St. Helens, worked the war in Afghanistan, and the Middle East. He has been present at wars and revolutions. He was in the middle of a mess in the Gaza strip, when there was violence between the Palestinians and the Israelis.

The interesting thing about this is that John was present at all of these events... in a wheelchair. He has been there since he was 19, when he and a friend were involved in a car wreck, after the man they had hitched a ride with fell asleep at the wheel and flipped the car.

John is recognized as a great journalist and has worked for such networks as National Public Radio and ABC. You see, it's not the appearance of the man that is important; it's what is in his heart.

Fortunately, the Lord knows this. Often, we judge a person by the external. Not God.

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" (I Sam. 16:7.)