When Israel demanded that God give them a king, He gave them precisely what they wanted. They sincerely believed that a warrior who intimidated their enemies in battle would be the answer to all of their problems, so He gave them King Saul who towered above most of Israel. They were so wrong and the reason for this is seen in the words of the Lord to Samuel. When God replaced the warrior with a shepherd boy He said, “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7).
All of us often make the same mistake. Look at how Jesus looked at others, not as a man looks, but He looked at their hearts.
The people saw ignorant and unlearned laborers. Peter and John were lowly fishermen. The Jewish leaders called them “uneducated and untrained men” (Acts 4:13). Yet, Jesus chose them, for He sees more than outward appearance.
The people saw a religiously prejudiced man. If you had talked to Nathaniel about Jesus of Nazareth, you would have seen his warped view about anything good coming out of Nazareth (John 1:44). The Lord saw Him as one who would play a vital role as one who was a witness of the risen Savior (John 21:2). The Lord does not look at appearances but at hearts!
The people saw a corrupt tax collector. The most despised Jews in Israel were those who became agents to collect tax for the Roman government. Jesus not only called Matthew (Levi) to be an apostle, but He immediately went to his house to eat with him and his “evil” friends (Mark 2:14-15). Man looks on the outside. Jesus looks on the inside.
The people saw a terrorist. Most Jews had learned to live with the oppression of the Romans, but among them were the Zealots or Zealotes. The Zealotes were fanatical nationalists who were sworn to assassinate every traitor and Roman they could find. The people saw Simon the Zealot as an assassin. Jesus saw Simon the Zealot as an apostle (Luke 6:15).
The people saw a bothersome child. Even the apostles tried to keep children away from the Lord, for they saw them as a nuisance. Jesus rebuked these men and used a child to teach one of His greatest lessons. Jesus did not look on the problems children cause. He saw them as future servants in a greater cause.
The people saw an adulteress, an immoral woman at a well, lepers, physically handicapped people, the lame, the blind and the sick. Yet, Jesus saw these people so differently. Think about this. With our gospel meeting just before us, what are you seeing in those around you? May God help us to see the people around us through the eyes of Jesus!