Sunday, April 6
1 Samuel 16:1-13
Psalm 23
Ephesians 5:8-14
John 9:1-41
As
any kid can tell you, it stinks being the last one chosen for the team. A cheer goes up on the playground when the
athlete is chosen, an obvious asset. A
low moan or awkward silence follows the bottom picks: the weak, the slow, the
unmotivated. We each tend to continue
this tradition into adulthood by judging our peers worthy or unworthy based on
their appearance, performance, or personality.
Shockingly,
God chooses a man or woman with different criteria in mind. In 1 Samuel 16, Samuel is tasked with
choosing a new king for Israel. Saul,
the people’s choice, was rejected by God because of his disobedience, his lack
of trust, and his concern about what others thought. He looked good on the outside, but God was
looking for someone that pleased him, obeyed him, and as Ephesians 5:8-14
encourages, someone who [lived] as a child of light, valuing all that is “good
and right and true.”
God
chose David, a shepherd, who was rejected by his family. Even Samuel is confused – his first choices
are the tall, strong, capable-looking, first and second-born sons of
Jesse. And yet God says “Do not look on
his appearance… for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the
outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Sam. 16:7). The last in line, David is chosen for God’s
team.
In
John 9 God chooses a blind man to reveal his kingdom. When Jesus sees him, He says, “He was born
blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him.” Mud is placed on his eyes and he is told to
wash in a pool nearby. This blind man,
rejected by his society, is now CHOSEN to receive the benefits of God’s
kingdom!
The
distinction in Scripture is clear: where
man judges the outward appearance, God is looking at the heart. Just as Jesus touched a blind man’s eyes and
awakened him to a new physical and spiritual reality, our Savior desires to
touch our hearts today. Just as God
rejected a king who won the "people’s choice award" but chose a shepherd boy to
take his place, so He searches for the weak and disqualified, the barren and
dysfunctional, to reveal His kingdom.
Let us heed scripture and turn our priorities from the appearance of
outward perfection and ask God to reveal what is in our hearts. Any part of us that doesn’t believe God is
good, that has a hard time with Jesus’ example of choosing weakness over power;
any raised fist that determines to meet our own needs rather than wait for God,
any room in us for the rejection of others – God challenges those parts of us. This Lenten season as disciples of Jesus, or
as seekers of the way, let us consider Christ’s example of choosing the
weak. Where we are weak ourselves may we
agree with David’s Psalm: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I
fear no evil; for you are with me.”
Come,
Father, Son and Spirit. You see our
hearts, our thoughts, and you know all of our ways. You know our inmost parts, for you made
them. You know where we judge others and
ourselves as less. Enable us to believe
in Your Son, the Christ, and that You are good.
Draw us near to Your cross and teach us to walk in the light of Your
example. We want to be your people, good
representatives of your upside-down kingdom.
Let Your light shine in us today.
Byron Williams
Director of Visual &
Fine Arts, Holy Spirit Episcopal School