BEWARE OF APPEARANCES…

I SAMUEL 10:20-24: “And when Samuel had caused all the tribes of Israel to come near, the tribe of Benjamin was chosen. When he had caused the tribe of Benjamin to come near by their families, the family of Matri was chosen. And Saul the son of Kish was chosen. But when they sought him, he could not be found. Therefore they inquired of the LORD further, “Has the man come here yet?” And the LORD answered, “There he is, hidden among the equipment.” So they ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” So all the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!” NKJV

OBSERVATIONS: Have you ever been deceived by appearances? Have your eyes been drawn to something that looked wonderful on the outside but was merely an inferior product with a fancy veneer? We think we are getting one thing and when we get home we find it is something else entirely!

The enemy of our souls works wonders with smoke and mirrors. He never tempts us with something gross and ugly. He tempted Eve with the wonderful appearance of the forbidden fruit and the false promise of its value. Today, the airwaves are filled with similar promises of health supplements and beauty aids that are guaranteed to revive our youth and our looks.

Do you ever wonder why they use young people to advertise products that target a much older audience?

Israel’s desire for a King was an exchange for something that they could not see for something visible and great in appearance. Israel was called to walk in faith – trusting the living God to rule over them. However, they rejected God and yearned to be like everyone else. They wanted a King they could see!

They yearned for the appearance of safety!

God has given us free will. God did not stand in the way of what they desired. He assured Samuel that they were not rejecting him but ultimately they were rejecting God Himself. So, God gave them a King. And, not just any King. God gave them a King who was someone to look up to and appeared to be all they ever wanted in a ruler!

God gave them appearance!

“So they ran and brought him from there; and when he stood among the people, he was taller than any of the people from his shoulders upward. And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” So all the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!”

It is recorded that Saul was more handsome than any of his peers. He was also taller and strong in stature. From the outward appearance I could hear the crowd saying – “Now, that’s a King!” Yet, they never asked God for someone with a faithful heart. They never asked God for someone who would diligently follow God’s Word. They wanted someone grand in appearance and made them feel safe.

The king they beheld was not the King they needed!

Appearances will often deceive us. Saul quickly turned his heart from sincerely following the Lord and toward the end of his life he rejected God and consulted mediums. When we grasp for appearances we find we are sacrificing substance. The old saying – “It was just too good to be true” – was coined by people who had been deceived by mere appearance.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we must look beyond the veneer and into the heart. God is calling us to be people of substance. We must resist the temptation to run after appearances and look behind every curtain. We must test the spirits to see if they are from God and look for the fruit of the Holy Spirit in everything we commit our lives to.

Aesop’s fable of the tortoise and the hare is a good reminder that substance always wins over appearance. It is the faithful believer who daily walks in the will of God, prays in the secret of his prayer closet, and gives his alms without drawing attention to himself, that bears the fruit of the Spirit. Those who are flashy, draw attention to themselves, focus on the sensational, and appear to be great men and women, are many times just another Saul.

God chose a small, rugged, eager shepherd boy to lead His people in Israel. It was not the choice that Samuel would have made or even this shepherd boy’s father. Yet, God does not look to the outward appearance. God looks to the heart, the substance, the potential of a life and heart that is surrendered in worship and obedience.

God chose David because he was a man after God’s own heart.

In this election year in the United States, we need to be careful of appearances. We must look behind the political promises and the money that is freely being printed and thrown around. We need to look for men and women of substance who stand apart from the crowd by their actions rather than their appearance. This is a time to walk in discernment. We must test everything by God’s Word.

We cannot afford to embrace a “Saul” when God desires to raise up another “David.”

Lord, give us discerning hearts in this day. Let us look beyond what we see and hear to discern the spirit and the heart of those speaking. Let actions that confirm the values of Your Word be what we look for in our leaders. Raise up an army of David’s who will seek Your will and Your glory over their own.

In Jesus’ Name!