I LOVE the story from God's Word where Samuel is with Jesse looking for the one that will be the future king. Samuel knows it is one of Jesse’s sons but doesn’t know which one, and as they go through the list of seven sons God rejects them all. I can imagine the confusion that Jesse and Samuel felt. I mean what was God looking for in a king? He even rejected the oldest.

Jesse says:

"I have only one son left (my youngest) who is out in the field watching the sheep."

They couldn’t believe that this indeed was the one: The shepherd boy David. The one that was unexpected, overlooked, and seemed small in the sight of man. David, who becomes a mighty warrior that not only defeats Goliath, but goes on to win battle after battle, and who does indeed becomes the King of Israel. The man that would later be known as a man after God’s own heart.

What was God looking for when HE wanted a king?

1 Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him (talking about the oldest) For the Lord does not see as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

God didn't care about what the world cared about; HE wasn't looking for the oldest son, the richest, or the one most known. God was looking at the heart.

Sometimes even as moms we get our focus off track. Our culture is constantly telling us what we need in our children, and even Christians are not immune to this.

Be careful!! God’s Word tells us what is more important and it won’t be popular to the world. When we start to care more about academics, or that our kids our involved in the right activities or even how our kids look, we forget it is the HEART that should be our main concern. It is not that the above things are always wrong, they can be great things that make life more full, but they shouldn't be primary.

The heart it is what God cares about the most!

You win your children’s hearts by being intentional in your parenting. You win them by truly getting to know your kids, and that can only really happen by giving them your time. You win them by praying for them constantly, having great conversations (even tough ones), and you win them most by setting an example with your own life. You can't save your kids, that is God's job, but winning your children's heart is a great start!

Blessings,

Angela, Together with Family