First Impressions

The year was 1970 and I had left home headed for my long military tour; I had to leave my wife to which I had only been married to for six months. When I arrived I was more than home sick, I was lonely, disappointed and more than ready to go back home. New faces, new places, I just wanted to leave but that wasn't going to happen, so I decided I would just make the best of a bad situation. As I was trying to make new friends I noticed this sergeant and I liked nothing about him, I didn't like the way he walked, talked I didn't like his looks and I wanted nothing to do with him. You know first impressions are not always the right impression for he became one of my best friends until I was discharged. We all have had those moments I am sure where we judge others only to find out we had judged wrongly. One day the Lord told Samuel to fill his horn with oil and go to Jesse the Bethlehemite and that the next King would be one of his sons. Now what happened next is interesting. When Samuel got to Bethlehem and in front of Jesse's sons he let his eyes fool him

1Samuel 16:6
And it came to pass, when they were come, (Jesse's sons) that he looked on Eliab, and said, Surely the LORD'S anointed is before him.
Samuel said look no farther for here he is, the next King. But here is what the Lord said to Samuel 1Samuel 16:7
But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. Samuel's first impression was wrong. Then we read

1Samuel 16:10
Again, Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. And Samuel said unto Jesse, The LORD hath not chosen these. After all seven of Jesse's sons had passed before Samuel and none of them was King material he asked Jesse this question, is this all. To which Jesse said all but one; Samuel got so excited that he said go get him for I'm not going to sit until he gets here.

1Samuel 16:11
And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. Can you imagine what must have been going through Samuel's mind why he had seen all of Jesse's sons and now they had gone to fetch the next King of Israel? I wonder if Samuel's chin dropped when he saw him…

1Samuel 16:12
And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the LORD said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he. You have got to be kidding Lord, look at him a healthy complexion, attractive eyes, and a handsome appearance. We need a King not this; Samuel may have thought that but this was no joke

1Samuel 16:13
Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah. Had Samuel went on his first impression he would have missed the mark. Had I went on my first impression I would have robbed myself of a good friend. When you and I look at those we come in contact with and start to judge them, we are judging what we see but God goes much deeper and views the heart. I have heard people say "he's just a drunk and that's all he will ever be." You think so? I wonder if that's what God is thinking? I realize that all those for whatever reason have messed up their lives with drugs and alcohol, sex and whatever will not all turn out to be productive citizens. But, neither I nor do you know who will and who will not, so we must look beyond what our eyes tell us for we may be the last hope that someone has. Be careful about those first impressions they could be wrong impressions.