I Samuel 16: 6- 7, 10- 12 When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the man the Lord has chosen!” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by a man’s face or height, for this is not the one. I don’t make decisions the way you do! Men judge by outward appearances, but I look at a man’s thoughts and intentions.” [The King James translation states: “but the Lord looketh on the heart.”]…..“The Lord has not chosen any of them,” Samuel told Jesse. “Are these all there are?” “Well, there is the youngest, Jesse replied. “But he’s out in the fields watching the sheep.” “Send for him at once,” Samuel said, “for we will not sit down to eat until he arrives.” So Jesse sent for him. He was a fine-looking boy, ruddy-faced, and with pleasant eyes. And the Lord said, “This is the one; anoint him.” [Living Bible translation]
Summary: Although GOD had led the people of Israel by speaking through prophets such as Samuel, the people did not want GOD’s leadership. Wanting to be like all the other nations around them, the Israelites told Samuel they wanted a king. So, Saul became the first king of Israel.
However, when Saul disobeyed GOD, GOD told Samuel to pick a new king. Samuel was instructed to go to Bethlehem to the house of Jesse, where Samuel was told to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as the next king. Jesse had eight sons. When Samuel entered Jesse’s house, he took one look at Eliab, who was manly and tall, and Samuel thought to himself that surely ‘this one’ was the one GOD will want me to anoint. To Samuel, Eliab looked like a king. But, Eliab was not the one.
Jesse then paraded his other six sons before Samuel, but GOD did not instruct Samuel to anoint any of these others either. When Samuel asked Jesse if he had any more sons, Jesse said there was one more, (who wasn’t even significant enough to Jesse to warrant Jesse bringing him in the house), who was watching the sheep. As the youngest, probably the smallest, and the one everyone thought the “least significant,” no one thought much of this boy. But, David was the one---he was GOD’s chosen!
GOD does not think the way that humans think. GOD is not concerned with “height,” or “weight” or “beauty” or “color.” Nor does HE “see things the way other people see things.” In GOD’s eyes, “bigger is not always better.” GOD does not look at outward appearances.” GOD looks at the “heart.”
Fruits and Vegetable
According to Sarah Burns in “Nutritional Value of Fruits, Veggies is Dwindling,” bigger is not always better when it comes to selecting fruits and vegetables. In her article, Burns notes that an English researcher, Dr. Anne-Marie Mayer looked at 20 UK-based crops from 1930 to the 1980’s and reported more than 10 years ago that fruits and vegetables were declining in nutritional value.
When a similar study was performed at the University of Texas, analyzing 43 fruits and vegetables from 1950 to 1999, the researchers there also found that there was a decline in vitamins, minerals, and protein in crops. For example, in 1950, broccoli had 130 mg of calcium but today, researchers reported that the number was only 43mg. The researches at the University of Texas believe the decline of the nutritional value of some fruits and vegetables is due to “the farming industry’s desire to grow bigger vegetables faster.”
The very things that speed growth---selective breeding and synthetic fertilizers—
decrease produce’s ability to synthesize nutrients or absorb them from the soil.
See, “Nutritional Value of Fruits, Veggies is Dwindling—Chemicals that speed growth may impair ability to absorb soil’s nutrients,” by Sarah Burns, Prevention, July 9, 2010.
Burns reports that while “conventional” fruits and vegetables may be losing their nutritional value because of industry’s desire to grow bigger vegetables faster, this is not the case with “organic” produce. According to Burns, “by avoiding synthetic fertilizers, organic farmers put more stress on plants, which cause the plants to protect themselves thus, producing more phytochemicals,” which make the plants healthier and more nutritious foods to eat. Phytochemicals are chemical substances found in plants that may possible help prevent diseases (e.g. cancer) and cell damage.
You may also find that fruits and vegetables will not only differ in nutritional value, depending on whether they are “conventional” or “organic,” but that the size of vegetables may also affect their taste. For example, large carrots may have a different taste compared to small, slimmer early picked carrots. New potatoes (those early small potatoes) are different than older, thicker skinned potatoes. You may enjoy thin asparagus but dislike bulky asparagus.
So when selecting fruits and vegetable, you may want to give some of the fruits and vegetables that you previously put on your “no” list a “second chance.” You may not have eaten the right size vegetable or you may want to try the “organic” instead of the “conventional” variety. Whatever your selection, remember: “bigger is not always better.”
A SERVANT’s PRAYER or A BIGGER PRAYER
Act 13:22 states:
After removing Saul, HE [GOD] made David their king. HE testified concerning him [David]: ‘I had found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’
In other words David wanted a heart “like GOD’s.” David wanted his heart to “mirror” the HEART OF GOD. He wanted GOD to make him in HIS OWN IMAGE [the way GOD intended man to be.] So, young David prayed that that GOD create within him a “clean heart” and a “right spirit,” (See Psalms 51:10).
Years later, David’s son, Solomon, prayed a similar prayer—asking for “an understanding heart.” (1Kings 4:9). And because Solomon did not ask for great riches for himself, GOD blessed Solomon with great wisdom and more. GOD blessed Solomon because he did not want to be “bigger” than other people; Solomon just wanted to be “better”---a better servant.
Today, reflect on your requests to GOD or the goals you have set for yourself. In fact make a list. At the top put two headings “bigger” or “better [servant].” See how your prayers or goals “stack up.” Then perform a “heart” examination. Conduct your own “MRI.” Ask yourself if your list “mirror” the heart of GOD. As you consider your list also think about GOD and HIS SON and what THEY sacrificed for each of us. (Read John 3:16 and Philippians 2:6-8)
Today, pray one for another. Pray GOD “fix” our minds, our heart and our goals. Pray that we not want the “bigger” things but the “better servant” things. Pray we become better at wanting to serve GOD and HIS people. Pray we try to do everything GOD wants us to do, so we can be everything GOD wants us to be.
Eat better, be better and BE BLESSED!
