The Perfect Heart - Crosswalk the Devotional - December 19

Truths observed at the intersection of faith and life by Crosswalk.com editors [Crosswalk.com Logo]( Crosswalk: The Devotional [Devotionals]( [Newsletters]( [e-Cards]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( The Perfect Heart by Meghan Kleppinger "But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart'." [1 samuel 16:7]( NAS "I have made a very important decision," I announced to fellow editors, Sarah and Shawn, shortly after arriving at work. Piqued curiosity gave way to undivided attention, so with a stage set, I continued. "I have decided to marry A) an Englishman, or B) an American willing to live in England, or C) an American willing to put on an English accent for the duration of our [marriage]( My co-workers responded exactly the way I hoped they would… and the way I needed them to so I could write this devotional! It was meant to be a somewhat humorous declaration because everyone knows I'm an anglophile. Yes, more than one visit to the country turned me into a lover of nearly anything British including, but not limited to, the actual country, literature, movies, chocolate (Cadbury chocolate is the best ever), and of course the smooth accent. I did get a laugh or two in response, and, in reference to my seemingly juvenile and superficial decision I was asked jokingly, "So, when will you be turning eighteen?" Poor Shawn, he walked right into my trap. "How," I asked, "is this any more superficial than someone saying, 'I won't date anyone shorter than 5'9', or with brown eyes, or younger?'" He agreed and mentioned the human habit to create wish lists. We do that, don't we? We create lists, have ideals, and look for what we think would be the perfect candidate - whether it be for a marriage, a friendship, or a position for a job that needs to be filled. Once upon a time, back in college, I created my "perfect guy" list. I found him, too. He lined up with everything on my list down to the occupation he was entering. Not only was he a Christian and genuinely nice guy, he was what I had dreamed about - the right hair color, height, and age too! He wanted to find the right girl, get married, and settle down… I'm telling you, he was great. You won't believe this, but I broke up with him! This wonderfully perfect young man, who literally made the list, bored me to tears. The lesson God taught me was two-fold. First, He taught me that I had no idea of what I really wanted or needed, but more importantly, He showed me that the perfect person for me is more important than finding a seemingly perfect person. When the prophet Samuel hiked up to visit Jesse and his sons, I'll bet he had an idea of what God's choice for Saul's replacement should look like. He probably got excited thinking about the tall, strong, mature and wise leader who would rule Israel. Samuel saw Jesse's son Eliab and thought "Surely the Lord's anointed is before Him" ([1 Sam. 16:6](. That is when the Lord shared with Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." God was looking for the right heart, not the right body. He chose a young shepherd boy named David. I love the song, "Shepherd Boy." One of the verses in the song that refers to this event goes, Well it wasn't the oldest It wasn't the strongest Chosen on that day And yet the giants fell And nations trembled When they stood in his way [CONTINUE READING →]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( You May Also Like: [7 Reasons the World May Hate That You're a Christian]( Dale Chamberlain Sometimes, Christians are disliked through no fault of their own. Other times, we needlessly bring it upon ourselves. It takes wisdom and spiritual maturity to know when we’re being hated for the right reasons. [CONTINUE READING →]( [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Christmas Light Show Set To 'Mary Did You Know']( One family is reminding us of the real reason for Christmas with an incredible holiday light show set to ‘Mary Did You Know.’ [CONTINUE READING →]( [Crosswalk.com Logo]( [Read about Salem Web Network]( | [Unsubscribe From This Email]( [Email Preference Center]( | [View in Browser]( © 2020 Salem Web Network. All rights reserved. 111 Virginia Street, Suite 500, Richmond, VA 23219. This email is never sent unsolicited. You are receiving this email because your email address, {EMAIL}, is signed up to receive newsletters, updates, and special offers from Crosswalk.com - The Devotional. [Link](