Our Focal Scripture speaks of that moment when God told Samuel why Eliab could not be king. God told Samuel to stop looking at the outward appearance of Eliab. Eliab obviously had the physical looks that would make anyone choose him for kingship; he had the outward appearance that would make Samuel to choose him, but God said his heart was not right. Eliab’s pleasant appearance simply masked the negativity within.
Friend, be careful not to be like Eliab. Don’t be that one that would have all the outward appearance of a great man, yet having an evil heart. Don’t be that man who is good on the outside but terrible in the inside; don’t be that one that looks good from afar off, but nasty and undesirable when one comes closer; don’t be an Eliab that has a good container but no good content; don’t be counted among those with double, conflicting identities.
Eliab had all the qualifications; he looked like the right man for the job of King; he looked like it where eyes could see, but in places where eyes could not see, he was an error, and even God needed to announce that he was unfit. If you look like it, but your heart does not qualify, you are simply a package of deception seeking a victim to take advantage of; if what is on the inside is not good enough, then you are really not good enough.
Today, ask God to rid you of all the bad behavior in you; ask God to rid your life of bitterness, unforgiveness, envy, jealousy, hate, strife, wickedness, etc. Ask God to remove everything within you that has the capacity to make a mess of what is yet to come your way; ask God to sanitize your inner man and shed Christ’s love in your heart; ask God to make you better from the inside.
Don’t be counted among those whose hearts are not in alignment with divine agenda; ask the Lord to plant the right heart in you.
