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Potentially Great

Samuel had their attention. In fact, the Bible says that the people of Bethlehem “trembled” when they came out to meet him. After all, it is not every day that God’s most powerful prophet just wanders into town.

Previously, God had said to Samuel, “I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king”. When Samuel saw the oldest son, Eliab, he thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here”, but God said, “Do not consider his appearance of 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.”

Abinadab was the next in line, but Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either”. This pattern continued with the next son, Shammah, and every other boy until all seven had unsuccessfully passed before Samuel.

Samuel then asked, “Are these all the sons you have?”

“There is the youngest”, Jesse replied, “but he is tending the sheep.”

Samuel said, “Send for him” and when he arrived the Lord said, “Arise and anoint him; he is the one” (1 Samuel 16:1-13).

When they started looking for the new king amongst Jesse’s boys, no one even thought to call David. Yet, David became one of the greatest leaders in the history of God’s people, not because he was the obvious choice, but because he allowed God to work on him. In fact, one of the most common compliments paid to David was that he was, “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22). In other words, he was willing to be trained, shaped and made into what God wanted him to be and because of that he experienced God’s blessing and was a blessing to the entire nation.

Apparently God sees things in us that no one else can see (maybe even things that we cannot see right now).

So, what challenges are ahead of you? What sorts of things are you facing? What are you looking at and thinking, “I can’t do that!” or “If only I was more talented” (or more “outgoing” or “bold” or ….. you fill in the blank).

Maybe you are just the person for the job. Maybe God has something planned for you that neither you nor anyone else would guess.

Maybe you just have to start to see yourself as God sees you.

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