What makes a good leader, or even an admirable person? Countless books and articles have been written to answer this. Is it impressive stature or physical build? Lavish wealth? Quick wit or conversational prowess? Superior talents? A resume of worldly accolades and victories? These are the things the world values; these are the things we all naturally find ourselves valuing as well.
But God sees things differently; as far as quality persons go, God isn’t concerned with those things in the slightest. As Samuel is trying to find Israel’s next king, God reminds him that he looks only at the heart. If in a person’s heart there is faith in the Lord, and humble eagerness to obey his will, and thus a character that reflects the Lord’s goodness, then that is a person that the Lord considers admirable, and a person that he can make into a good leader. All of those worldly attributes are nice, but entirely unnecessary—and oftentimes even just distracting!
There is a reason why both First and Second Samuel focus almost entirely on the character of David. He is the emblematic king that exemplifies the righteousness of the nation of Israel from then on; he is the ancestor of the coming Messiah and precursor to how that Messiah will reign as king; and he is a man of faith, whose heart and character are like God’s heart and character. This great king could have been anyone; if it were up to Israel, their last choice would have been David, who stood in the shadow of six older, more impressive-looking brothers. But by God’s standard, David’s faith and his ensuing faithfulness set him above them all.
I will personally confess that I often find myself pursuing greatness according to the world’s standards. But God’s way is by no means just another perspective. It is the true way that accords with all goodness. If God looks at the heart, what would he see when he looks at yours? Would he see a desire for fleeting worldly attributes, or a life-transforming faith? In fact, what is it that we look for when we look at others? Perhaps if God cares primarily about what’s in a person’s heart, we should as well.
