When Saul was chosen to be the first king of Israel, he was handsome and the tallest man in the land (1 Samuel 9:2). Saul was head and shoulders above everyone else. He was the exact type of king the people wanted, for he looked like one. Yet despite these "assets," he failed miserably.

When the Lord told King Saul to destroy the Amalekites, he was afraid of the people and disobeyed the Lord (1 Samuel 15:24). Though Saul looked strong on the outside, he was weak within. Sometimes, your gifting can take you further than your character can sustain you.

God then chose a new person to replace Saul as king, and He told Samuel to go to Bethlehem and anoint him. When Samuel arrived there and saw Jesse's son Eliab standing tall and strong, he pulled out his oil bottle. But the Lord told him, "This is not the one." So seven of Jesse's sons passed before Samuel one by one, and the Lord said no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

Finally, the line of would-be kings reached the end, and they ran out of candidates. Samuel was confused and asked Jesse if these were all of his sons, for the Lord had told him to anoint one of them. Then Jesse reluctantly admitted that his youngest son was out tending the sheep. The word that Jesse used for his son David was the same word that we use for "runt," meaning insignificant, lesser, or small. Samuel told Jesse to bring him, and when little David walked up, the Lord said: "This is the one. Anoint him."

We tend to see people from the outside and often judge them by their attractiveness, talent, or wealth. In contrast, God sees people from the inside out. Who we are when no one is looking is who we really are. The Lord sees the unseen things we do. So, work as if you are working directly for Him.

David, the little shepherd boy, was anointed by Samuel, and he went on to become a great king, one of the best. God saw more inside of little David than anyone else did, for God knows our hearts. Though you may be the least of the least and not in a position of power. Though you take care of smelly things that others are too good to do. God sees it all, and one day, there will be a reward.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6-7).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I thank You for waking me up today. Please comfort me and let me know that You are there. Quicken Your word to me and help me understand it clearly. I want to experience more of You in my life. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!

Note: Today is Thankful Thursday at the Ministry Events group! This event gives us an opportunity to encourage each other by posting thoughts, moments, and prayers of gratitude for Him, His creation and all that He does in our lives. All are welcome! To join, just click on the group name and then the join link on the page that will follow. As always, if you have a prayer need, we are here for you! We and the prayer team are ready to lift you up at our private prayer page: RHM Prayer Network.