As a family, read 1 Samuel 16 together.  Afterwards, share the following family discussion.

What happened?

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him.  For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

David was the youngest son of Jesse and a shepherd boy.  He spent much of his time in the fields tending to sheep. He led, fed, and protected them. At the same time, Israel had a king named Saul who had been disobedient to God. So God commissioned His prophet, Samuel, to anoint a new king for Israel.  Anointing ceremonies were how God showed that a person was being set apart to accomplish His will. In this case, God would crown David as King of Israel, a role that was to be used for the holy purposes of the Lord.

Samuel was told by God to go to Jesse’s house and anoint one of his sons, making him king.  Samuel knew Saul well and was concerned about what Saul might do if he found out what was going on. Still, Samuel did as God had told him and went to Jesse’s home in Bethlehem.

Samuel inspected each of Jesse’s sons but focused on their outward appearance. God guided Samuel as he looked over each one. Samuel inspected the height, strength, and posture of each son. But God told Samuel that He does not focus on the outward appearance; instead, He looks at the heart. Samuel rejected every son that Jesse put before him and asked if there were any other sons. Finally, David was brought from the field where he had been tending the sheep. When Samuel saw David, he knew He was the one chosen by God to lead His people.  Soon after David was anointed, Saul summoned him to serve as armor bearer. David had been set apart by God, but it would be some time before he would rule over Israel as king.

Why is this important to us today?

God had to change Samuel’s view of what a king looked like. You see, Saul was very tall and impressive to look at. In Samuel’s mind, the person who replaced Saul would have to appear “kingly.” But God was interested in whether the king followed and obeyed Him, not if he impressed the people. David, the young shepherd boy, may not have looked like a king, but he was “a man after [God’s] own heart” (Acts 13:22).

Each of us may feel insignificant at times. When you look in a mirror, you may see an ordinary person.  But when the Lord is the center of your life, extraordinary things can happen. God desires to use each of us to accomplish His will. We, like Samuel, can get caught up in the wrong things and miss what God considers to be important.

Spend a few minutes talking about what you just read by answering these questions together:

What things do you think are important to God? Do you know individuals who display these characteristics in their lives? How has God used them? Take some time to discuss how focusing on the wrong things can lead you in a wrong direction.

How can we better follow God this week?

Go back over the things you identified as being important to God. Have one family member write them down.  Which of these characteristics do you see in the members of your family? Ask for volunteers to share which characteristic they need to work on the most. Discuss what steps would help develop that area in each person’s life. As you close, ask these questions to yourself:

• Do I spend more time focusing on my outward appearance or on the condition of my heart?
• Who do I want to impress the most, the people around me, or the Lord?
• What ungodly attitude have I allowed to stay in my heart?

Close in prayer, asking God to give each person in your family a heart that pleases and honors the Lord.