"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 Sam., ch. 16, v. 7*).
When I was taken to the hospital by ambulance, there were no available beds in the emergency room. So they placed me in a wheelchair and took me to a large room where I sat all day waiting for someone to attend to me. Then, a motorcyclist with tattoos and chains around his neck entered the room and sat next to his elderly mother. His presence made me feel uncomfortable and uneasy. Late in the afternoon, the man overheard me saying that I am diabetic and hadn't eaten since 5 a.m. He jumped to his feet saying:
- That's terrible! I'll tell the nurse you need some food.
Later that same day he said:
- You look like you’re cold. I’ll bring you a blanket.
He returned with a blanket and tucked it around me in the wheelchair. This man had a compassionate and caring heart, and I had judged him based on his appearance.
In 1 Samuel 16, Samuel made a similar mistake. God sent him to the house of Jesse to anoint the one of his sons whom God had chosen for king. When he saw Eliab, Samuel liked his appearance and thought he must be the chosen one. But the Lord said to him: '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 Sam., ch. 16, v. 7*).
I learned a valuable lesson. This biblical story and my experience in the hospital remind me to have compassion for all people.
Link to the original article: https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals/en-2023-08-05
*Scripture quotations from the Bible, New Translation from the Original Languages © Bulgarian Bible Society 2013