things are not always as they seem

The story is told about two traveling angels who stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. Unfortunately, the family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion’s guest room. So instead, the heavenly beings were given a small space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angels asked why, the older angel replied, “Things aren’t always what they seem.”

The next night the pair came to rest at the house of an impoverished but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food, they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed, where they had a good night’s rest. When the sun came up the following day, the couple was in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field.

The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel how he could have let this happen? “The first man had everything, yet you helped him,” she accused. “The second family had little but were willing to share everything, and you let the cow die.”

“Things aren’t always what they seem.,” the older angel replied.

“When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and was unwilling to share his good fortune, I sealed up the wall so he wouldn’t find it.

Then last night, as we slept in the farmer’s bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead. “Things aren’t always what they seem.”

I am reminded of the interesting manner King David was chosen to become Israel’s monarch. David was the second and greatest king of the dozens who occupied that seat. Promises made to the Shepherd King were eventually fulfilled by none other than Jesus.  Ancestry.com would be envious.

The first king of Israel was a young buck named Saul. “There was a wealthy, influential man named Kish from the tribe of Benjamin. He was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 His son Saul was the most handsome man in Israel—head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the land.”

(1 Samuel 9:1 NLT) This record sounds like a headliner for People Magazine or The Bachelor. Young Saul had all the human qualifiers, a powerful family, wealth, and good looks. What an excellent choice for the first monarch of the new Israeli kingdom. But things are not always as they seem.

Like so many thrust into the spotlight, Saul believed his reviews.  The great football coach, Tom Landry, once said, “You’re never as good as they say you are when you are winning, and you are never as bad as they say you are when you’re losing.” The young king gained early popularity with a few military victories, but that would soon come to an abrupt halt.

Philistines were Israel’s nemesis for many years. The barbaric nation often subjugated God’s people, and many Israeli kings warred with them. Saul came out against a sizeable Philistine army, but he was missing his prophet and mentor, Samuel. Samuel told Saul to wait for his arrival before he moved, but the Seer was delayed, and Saul’s men became nervous. The longer they waited, the more afraid they became. Finally, Saul feared losing control, so he performed a stupid, disobedient act; he offered sacrifices to God. This action may sound permissible, even noble, but it was a big mistake. Only Samuel was qualified to make these offerings. Even the office of a king has its limitations. Many a foolish leader has learned Saul’s lesson the hard way.

Samuel shows up just as Saul finished. The Seer was ticked! When Samuel questioned the sovereign, Saul tried to divert the blame onto Samuel because “. . . you didn’t arrive when you said you would.”  Shame on you, Samuel. This is your fault. Have you ever used that tactic? The mighty prophet of God was not buying it.

13 “How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.” (1 Samuel 13:13-14 NLT)

Everything about the first king of Israel seemed right, but things are not always as they seem. Saul had a heart problem, and, for leadership qualifications, God looks at the heart. Charisma, wealth, good looks, education, reputation, and a powerful family mean little to the Almighty King. “Saul, you’re outa here!” Things are not always as they seem.

Sometime later, we see the same principle played out when God instructed Samuel to anoint the second king of the nation – David. The prophet was instructed to find his way to the home of a Bethlehemite named Jesse.

5 “Yes,” Samuel replied. “I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. Purify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then Samuel performed the purification rite for Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice, too.

6 When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed!” (1 Samuel 16:5-6 NLT)

“Eliab is our man,” proclaimed Samuel. Another tall, muscular, good-looking dude is the right choice. But things are not always as they seem.

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”  (1 Samuel 16:7 NLT)

Even one of the greatest and wisest men in Israel’s long history, Samuel, could be fooled. It is tempting to take things at face value and judge people and situations by their outward appearance, isn’t it?

No, the youngest and most insignificant son, David, was God’s choice. He was the only person we are aware of in all of human history called “A man after God’s own heart.” David became Israel’s greatest monarch and was the bearer of the promise which made his lineage the genealogy of Jesus.  It took a man with a certain kind of heart to convince God to make that kind of promise.

It is a wise maxim to survey people and situations, keeping in mind that things may not be as they seem. There is a back story to nearly every event, and people do not perform either dumb or wise acts in a vacuum. Our actions and attitudes result from a myriad of experiences, personality types, and external forces. And, above all, we must remember that God is supremely interested in the disposition of our hearts.

The next time you are tempted to come down hard on someone or make critical judgments, it might be good to pause and consider, “I wonder if things really are as they seem?”