Prayerful Parenting – Day 11

1 Samuel 16:7

‘But the Lord said unto Samuel, ‘Don’t judge by his appearance or height.’…The Lord doesn’t look at things the way you see them. People judge by the outward appearance. But the Lord looks at the heart.’

Let’s be honest – adult or student, no matter the age or setting – there is a very real emphasis placed on appearance. We tend to instantly size others up when it comes to those wearing the right brand or style of clothing, the best accessories, families that appear to have the most money and so on and so forth. It’s a natural draw, those people that have all these things and are all these things just seem to have an easy ride to the top when it comes to social status, and those that don’t – well, it’s an uphill battle when it comes to being noticed or being heard.  

It’s interesting really all these things so easily draw us in and catch us up, yet they really have no bearing on character, integrity, or morals of an individual – at all. We can decorate our outward in a way that makes everyone think we are something that is completely opposite of who we really are…but the heart, now, that’s a different story. The condition of the heart is something difficult to hide as it appears when the pressure is on when we speak, as frustrations rise, in our shifts of mood, or when challenges come our way – that’s when we see the heart of an individual become visible and at that moment whether it no longer matters the brand, accessories or wealth because at that moment, one of two things will happen as either the ugliness of your soul is exposed when it overshadows the beauty of all of those things, or the beauty of your soul will be exposed as it makes the glory of those desired ‘things’ pale in comparison.

Today, let us focus prayer for our students to 1 Samuel 16:7 as they begin their school year. May these words be rooted deep into their minds as they interact with those around them. May God give them eyes to see their peers as He sees them, seeing their value, and looking past the appearance and height in order to truly seek friends based on the condition of their heart.

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