The Thing Beneath the Thing
1 Samuel 15–16 | Ruth 4:18–22 | Luke 6:45
I used to think I was good at hiding what I felt. A smile could cover a weary heart, and a well-crafted sentence could soften the sharpness of my frustration. But over time, I began to realize: no matter how polished I tried to be on the outside, my heart always leaked through.
It showed up in how I snapped at people I loved.
In how I avoided prayer because I didn’t want to face conviction.
In how jealousy bubbled up when someone else’s “yes” came faster than mine.
Eventually, the thing beneath the thing (the condition of my heart) would rise to the surface. And Scripture makes it clear:
What’s stored in the heart eventually spills out. (Luke 6:45)
Two Kings, One Contrast
1 Samuel 15 opens with Saul, a king still in position, but drifting far from God's heart. When God commands him to destroy the Amalekites and all they had, Saul obeys halfway. He spares what looks good and justifies his disobedience by dressing it in religious language: “I was going to sacrifice it to the Lord!”
But Samuel speaks the hard truth:
“To obey is better than sacrifice... Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king.” (1 Samuel 15:22–23)
1 Samuel 16 then introduces a turning point in Israel’s story.
God sends Samuel to anoint a new king, not one who looked the part, but one who lived with a heart fully turned toward God.
David wasn't even invited to the first round of consideration. But while the world saw stature, God saw substance.
“Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
And tucked into Ruth 4, we see David’s story had been unfolding long before anyone knew his name. Through the quiet faithfulness of Ruth and Boaz, God was writing a lineage that would eventually lead to a king… and one day, to the Savior.
David wasn’t chosen because he was impressive. He was chosen because his heart was aligned with God.
God is not impressed by appearance, performance, or position. He’s drawn to surrendered hearts.
We may spend energy managing our image, but God is lovingly concerned with what’s beneath the surface.
What is overflowing from your heart right now: faith or fear, humility or pride, obedience or excuse?
Ask God to search your heart (Psalm 139:23–24). Don’t settle for looking faithful; ask for a heart that is faithful. Like David, let your legacy begin with surrender, not self-promotion.
Lord,
You see past what others see. You know the hidden corners of my heart.
Help me live honestly before You.
Root out the pride, fear, and compromise I try to excuse.
Make me a woman after Your own heart—not just with my words, but with my whole life.
Amen.
