“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’” — 1 Samuel 16:7

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The 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, which took place in Indianapolis (as it does every year) from Feb. 27 to March 2, was a showcase of pure athleticism. It was all about “the measurables” for these college football players hoping to be drafted into the NFL. How fast can he run? How much weight can he lift? How high can he jump? These and other questions were answered during the all-important combine weekend, giving the 32 NFL teams additional information to consider during April’s draft.

The media and fans often emphasize the combine as the single greatest indicator of future performance, and they can get swept up in the craze elicited by a few eye-popping numbers. But how important is the combine, truly? The fastest wide receiver rarely gets picked first, nor the strongest lineman nor the most agile edge rusher. The best general managers value more highly “the immeasurables” of a player demonstrated in real games during his college career — things like passion, leadership, work ethic and decision-making. In other words, they look for evidence of a player’s heart.

Our Heavenly Father, too, “looks at the heart” as He considers the people He’s made. In 1 Samuel 16, the Lord had declared that one of Jesse’s sons would be anointed king. Jesse then presented to God through Samuel his first seven sons, all of incredible stature and strength. They were “kingly” in every outward respect, possessing the physical traits typical of a king. Yet the Lord passed over them all.

There was one other son, but Jesse didn’t believe he was even worth bringing to the exhibition because he was too young and too small. Jesse had left him to tend the sheep.

That boy’s name was David. He was the son God selected, and he’s the one who would become the greatest king in the history of Israel. Jesse and Samuel were looking for outward appearances in their next king, but God saw beyond David’s youth and stature. God was looking at the heart, and David was a man after God’s own heart.

In Jesus’s day, the people of Israel were awaiting their Messiah, a king they believed would free them from Roman oppression. Many thought this king would be tall and strong, valiant in battle and politically savvy. Their Great King had indeed come — Jesus of Nazareth — but they made the same mistake as Jesse and Samuel; they were looking for outward appearances. Jesus, God Himself, came from Heaven to earth and took on flesh as a baby, born in a manger to a family from backwater Galilee. “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:2b). Jesus was the Savior of the world, but like David, people missed Him because they were too busy looking at outward appearances.

When God looks on your heart, what will He see? Will He see a heart fully devoted to Christ? A heart that wants nothing more than a relationship with Jesus? You can’t hide behind the strength of your measurables: your parents’ faith, the number of church services you’ve attended, or your knowledge of Bible trivia. You must have a new heart. And God in His grace promises to give His people those new hearts, hearts which declare with David, “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you…” (Psalm 63:1).

— Kevin Mercer

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