How would you pick a leader?

Let’s say that the president is corrupt and causing a lot of damage to the nation. You have been selected to appoint the next president of the nation. How would you choose someone? Some of us may look for a strong person with good leadership qualities. You may look for someone who has the best education. How would God choose?

This is exactly what happened in Israel. God sent the prophet Samuel to the household of Jesse with the instruction of anointing a new king over Israel because King Saul was to be replaced. Samuel goes to the household of Jesse and let’s read what happened:

“6 So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before Him!”

7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

8 So Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 9 Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “Neither has the Lord chosen this one.” 10 Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen these.” 11 And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all the young men here?” Then he said, “There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.”

And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him. For we will not sit down till he comes here.” 12 So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with bright eyes, and good-looking. And the Lord said, “Arise, anoint him; for this is the one!”
1 Samuel 16:6-12 New King James Version (NKJV)

The prophet Samuel was looking at the first son, and was thinking, “wow! This guy’s big and strong and handsome! This must be the Lord’s anointed; God’s chosen king of Israel!” And what does God say in response to Samuel? He says, “I haven’t chosen him.” God puts the prophet straight by explaining that He isn’t choosing as man chooses – God instructs the prophet not to look at the outward appearance because God is looking at the heart! The prophet then continues to the second-eldest son, and God says, “no.” And the next eldest, but God says, “no.” The prophet went through 7 of Jesse’s sons but God said, “no.” The prophet was wise enough to realize that there was probably another son who wasn’t present, and he was right. There was another son – the youngest; a pretty boy. The runt of the litter who wasn’t even considered as an option for the prophet. They sent for Davis who was out in the fields being a faithful shepherd, and as soon as he walked in, the Lord said to the prophet to arise and anoint him! You and I would probably not have chosen David to be King because we can’t see the heart, and that’s the point. In order to make the right decisions which lead us towards success, we need to stop evaluating like the world does (according to the external) and start evaluating according to how God sees things (the heart).

God sees things differently to the way the world sees things. God’s not looking at your age, your qualifications or ability. He’s not even looking at your looks! God is looking at your heart. God will not promote someone who’s in pride. Humility brings exultation or promotion. God is looking for humility. He’s looking for sensitivity to his leading and he will promote humility and faithfulness. That’s what brings success in God’s Kingdom! Not qualifications, not good looks and all that kind of stuff – we need to accept that God sees things differently to the way that the world sees things.

“The Lord was with Joseph, and he [even though a slave] became a successful and prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian.”
Genesis 39:2 Amplified Bible (AMP)

This is powerful! ?How did Joseph become a successful and prosperous man even though he was a slave? He’s a slave! He’s not a wealthy businessman but he was successful. The Bible says that his success was because the Lord was with him. That’s what makes us successful, too. Are you trying to do your own thing and then you beg God to bless it? Did you know that if you’re doing what God has called you to do, you won’t have to ask him to bless it because it is already blessed! When you’re doing it the way that he’s called you to do it, it will be successful! 

“Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you [and approved of you as My chosen instrument],
And before you were born I consecrated you [to Myself as My own];
I have appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
Jeremiah 1:4-5 Amplified Bible (AMP)

“But when God, who had chosen me and set me apart before I was born, and called me through His grace, was pleased”
Galatians 1:15 Amplified Bible (AMP)

This is how God operates: He chose you for something specific from before you were born. He chose you from the moment of conception. God has a purpose for your life and fulfilling that purpose is what makes you successful. As you seek Him, He will reveal your purpose to you and he will reveal your next step to you. He will show you where you should go and how you should do it.