A Heart Captured

“When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD.’

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 man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’" (I Samuel 16:6-7 NIV)

The man setting across from us at a bed and breakfast had a rare skin disease that affected his face, his arms, and, likely, his whole body.  It was not a pleasant sight.  Next to him sat his wife of three years.  They were there celebrating their anniversary.  She was talkative; he was quiet. I couldn’t help wondering about his life growing up.  It was probably very difficult.  Kids can be very mean to someone who looks different for whatever reason.  I imagined the deep wounds that had been inflicted on the inside because of the damage on the outside.  

As I sat there, my attention kept coming back to his wife.  She was happy and it was obvious she loved him.  I don’t know what it was like when she first met him, but I know she was able to see deeper, past his skin condition to his heart. And it captured hers.  I wonder if he wasn’t somewhat shy and hesitant about her attention.  “Could she really love me?” he may have thought.  Rejection and self-loathing will do that.  We can begin to think no one could love us.  

After a great breakfast and pleasant conversation, we headed back up to our room.  As we climbed the stairs, I realized I had seen a living parable of God’s relationship with me.  While the sin in my life made me spiritually grotesque, the Lord saw beyond my sin into my heart and He loved me.  I knew I was not attractive and even after He had pursued me for awhile, I found it difficult to believe He really loved me.  Still do sometimes.  Yet, the parable lived out before me yesterday reminded me once again that God does not look upon us as others do or share the view we may have of ourselves.  He looks beneath the surface and into our hearts.  

Today, if you are feeling unlovable because of who you are or how you live, know that God is still attracted to you.  Such things do not deter him. What He is looking at is your heart and it has captured His. 

© Jim Musser 2013